Whatever Happens
by TheUltimateGambit91
Summary: In a world torn between Apocalypse and certain destruction, what can an arranged marriage be worth? How can love matter when life is such a rarity itself? ROMY set in the Age of Apocalypse Re-write of an old story
1. Prologue

**Okay so this is a new and improved version of my other story 'It Never Ends.' There's bound to be some changes here and there from the first version! So don't skip out on some chapters because you'll miss out on the differences! I'm writing some-what from scratch but I'll be using some parts from the old version too. **

**SET IN THE AGE OF APOCALYPSE! WILL EXPLAIN THINGS AS THE STORY DEVELOPS!**

**Enjoy!**

**-UltimateGammy91**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men, they are Marvel property **

**-x-**

**Whatever Happens **

**Prologue - Fateful Encounters**

The wind whistled gently through the cracks and corners of the battered and beaten buildings and skyscrapers. It was depressing to admit that this was once called the city on of London. What used to be the base of an empire was now the base of a deserted wasteland. The wind seeped through cracks and holes of the crumbling buildings and blew about what was left of the roughened and broken terrain. Above head in the distance, a once tall and magnificent clock tower now stood a half tower. Broken and cut down to size like a common oak tree, Big Ben no longer rang in mirth or ticked away the times. There wasn't even a clock face left to tick. The dead city stood still and silent save for the consistent howl of the wind. That is, until a cloaked, tall figure stepped into sight. The lone figure let out a sigh of sympathy for the city of London as memories of a different time and what now seemed like a totally different place played across his mind.

"_How times have changed…"_

The figure heaved a deep sight as he turned his gaze away from the building ruins, his burgundy red cloak ruffling noisily in his stride. He walked deeper into the heart of London. He clung to the shadows of the remaining building skeletons as he made his way down the narrow roads by the riverside. He felt loose gravel and rubble grinded noisily under his shoes as he walked, echoing across the narrow space between the beaten pavement and the broken walls around him. Upon turning a bend however, he felt a change in the air. Something, or more, _someone_ was close by and gaining closeness by the second. The figure loitered on the spot and kept his ears to the air as he waited. It was not a foe following his trail but not an ally either.

"_It will be decided by the end of this day."_

There was promise in that thought as the figure kept a still stance. He spoke so that his voice would echo across to the new figure.

"You exceed your skill as a thief _Master Lebeau_. I think you can come out of hiding now, you see that I _am _alone."

From the shadows of a near by alcove in the opposing wall, a man of skill and discretion, that not too many could master, came out from hiding. He was cloaked in a black trench coat, a hood over his head that hid away his face. A gold and jewel clad knife that had been clasped between the fingers of his right hand was lowered from a defensive stance as he made his way stealthily towards the other figure. By the time he stood a mere three feet from the other man, the jewelled knife was sheathed and lost in the many pockets of the black coat. It was the mark of a man driven by paranoia as well as skill with defence. However, after the _Master Thief _had descended from the shadows, he was followed shortly by a second figure. Cloaked in a similar trench coat and hood, the figure stood beside the elder thief. The lone figure studied the smaller person. He was barely a man but not a child; a boy, no older than twelve or thirteen.

"_Je suis désolé_ _Monsieur Magnus_. (I am sorry) _Mais_ (but) in such times as dis, y' can not be to careful."

Magnus nodded in understanding. Lord or Spirit knew that he knew the burden carried by such words in these times. The M shape cut-out of his helmet front encased the distant look that spread across the aging features of Eric Lencherr. It also instilled the common name given to him by his kind; Magneto. After another moment or two, Magneto shifted his gaze to the smaller figure who, though half his face was hidden in shadow, looked towards him. Magneto offered a kind smile as he spoke.

"I take it this is your son Jean-Luc?"

Jean-Luc nodded.

"Not the boy you spoke of I presume?'

"Non, not him. _Mon plus jeune fils_ (my younger son) be too young t' deal wit' such transitions. De streets o' ol' London be no place for _une petite garcon_." (a small boy)

Magneto nodded with a look of genuine agreement and understanding. He too was a father thus Jean-Luc's protectiveness of his own offspring was only too easy to understand. He gave another deep sigh as he replied gravely.

"Yes, it is no place. But then this world is no place for a child to grow up in either is it my friend?"

Jean-Luc gave a cold half-chortle and nod with a similar manner.

"How is dat _petite fille _(daughter) o' yours Magnus? She be a _petite une_ (little one) too, _non_?"

"I would not let her accompany me in such times regardless of her young age."

Jean-Luc nodded in understanding.

"A wise choice _mon ami_. _Now_, shall we get back t' business Magnus?"

"It appears we have no choice."

Both fathers nodded in agreement. Though this peace treaty was harsh on both sides, the casualties without one were by far more terrible. Both sides had suffered losses. Too much blood had been spilt. Too much anger and aggression had been carried out when their men and women alike could've made better use of themselves by working together. With this peace treaty the guilds could unify and put their resources and power into providing peace and prosperity between their people. Though it wouldn't put the Reign of Apocalypse to an end, it would give them some peace of mind to know they were not alone.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_**Meanwhile some half a mile away…**_

The landscape was chaos to the extreme. Broken slabs of concrete scattered everywhere in sight. Fallen trees either burned to crisps or broken in pieces were laid like landmarks across the grounds of what used to be a grand park. The once beautiful patch of paradise was now a figment of a memory that became a nightmare and a land mark of the reign of Apocalypse. The very sight of the place brought tears to the eyes of the small child that stood in the midst of the lifeless grounds. Her emerald green eyes grew glossy with every new horror that appeared in her path, sending trails of tears down her ivory white cheeks. The little girl wasn't even old enough to understand what war was but here she stood in the middle of the aftermath of one that had begun years before her life had even begun. Sobbing slightly, she slowly made her way around the ruins and fallen trees until finally she came upon something. Something that ceased her tears, well at least for the moment. Not too far away from her stood a ruin, a statue of an angel. The lady angel had lost one of her wings that now lay shattered across the ground while her figure was cracked and broken. Nevertheless, she still stood. The little girl looked up at the angel with hope kindled in her eyes. All was not lost.

The girl approached the angel and with a cautious pace, she reached out to touch it. The white stone was cold against her skin but somehow, whether by the girl's imagination or some other force, prevailed to have a feel of warmth and comfort. It was more than she had expected when she stepped into this soulless park.

With no more tears to shed, the little girl wiped her eyes and sat down at the feet of the angel. The angel's feet stood atop of a slab of limestone, giving her more seating as she tucked her legs and rested her chin on her knees. She wrapped her arms around her knees as she tilted her head, causing the pair of matching white streaks to sheath her heart-shaped face like a curtain. The wind lightly tussled her auburn and white curls as she tried to get comfortable and shifted in her seat. As she did so however, a small yelp escaped her lips and she flinched away from the slight pinch of pain that cut through her left index finger. She raised her hand to find a small cut on the tip of her index. She frowned confusedly.

"What in the world…?"

When she looked down she was surprised to find it was merely a thorn from a rose bush that had pricked her finger. Beside the statue a rose bush had run wild and spread across the left side of the Angel statue. The small wound on her finger was immediately forgotten as she stepped down from the seat. She reached out to a fully bloomed white rose and cupped it in her delicate hands. Only a few fully bloomed and fresh roses were left. A small smile graced her lips as she gently plucked it from the bush which was quickly followed by the rest.

"_Maybe Mama will lahke these…."_

She always knew her mother liked roses. Satisfied with herself and her prize, she stood up and decided to head back to the base but then she stopped in her steps.

Her eyes flickered anxiously as her heart skipped a beat. A chill of fear caught her off guard by the sound of rustling bushes from behind. She turned slowly on the spot. With wide eyes but her mouth pursed in determination, she bit back her fear. She was usually quite a brave little thing and was convinced that nothing could frighten her. Not even the monsters that hid in her closet that her brother Pietro often spoke about to frighten her could spike fear in her. Not now, not ever. Cautiously, Marie edged closer to the bushes. She carefully clutched her roses to her front as she slowly stepped forward. She readied herself to confront whatever it was that was lurking in the bushes. Finally, biting down on her lower lip, she began to reach out inch by inch and with a quick breath before the plunge she grasped a handful of branches and pulled them back only to find…

Nothing?

Confused at first, Marie raised her gloved hands to her hips in a thoughtful way as she frowned into the bushes. She had been certain she'd heard something but as J.M. Barrie said, whatever troubled a grown up, would never trouble a child and that was quite the case. Dismissing the suspicious thought, she made to walk away. She barely made one step when suddenly she was knocked off her feet and landed hard on her backside on the rough ground. Something or someone had collided with her, _hard._ When the shock of the fall was shaken off, Marie brought her head up to look up at the figure that had nocked her down only to find that she was staring into the eyes of ….

_A demon_?

Her eyes widened but before she could say anything or decide to run while she could, she noticed that the demon eyes belonged to no demon but a boy; who was staring at her. The boy looked down on her with the same sort of star-struck expression that mirrored on her own. He was very young, not too much older than herself with a scrawny, gangly figure. She mused daftly to herself that the mess of auburn hair on his head made her think of a mop-top. After a moment or two of staring, she realised that he was standing before her. Blushing, she also realised he had said something and was holding out his hand to her. She eyes the hand curiously, almost suspiciously, until his voice brought her out of the trance again.

"M' won' bite _chérie_. Jus' lemme help y' up."

Her gaze fell back on his eyes once more. They were mysterious and captivating unlike any pair of eyes Marie had ever seen. She rather liked them actually.

She gave the unique-eyed boy a last stare before she let her gloved hand rest in his. He pulled her to her feet once more with one strong tug of his lanky arm. When they were both on their feet, Marie noticed that the boy was a good head taller than her and was dressed in an over-sized tan trench coat that covered the pair of jeans and a T-shirt he wore. He looked positively silly, she figured with a small smile of amusement. A moment later, a giggle erupted from the six-year-old, causing a puzzled frown to spread across the boy's face. Finally, he spoke again with an incredulous tone.

"Why y' laughin' _chére_?"

Marie stopped abruptly as her ivory cheeks turned a faint shade of pink. Shyness overcame her as she spoke.

"Ain't that coat a lil' too big for ya?"

The boy looked down at his coat then returned his gaze back to her. A grin spread across his face as he replied smugly.

"_Oui_, _mais_ _mon Pére_ says dat I'll grow in t' it soon enough."

"Are ya French or somethin'?"

He shook his head and continued to grin.

"_Non_, I be a Cajun."

"Ya mean ya from N' Orleans?"

"_Oui_."

Marie smiled and was about to begin a parade of questions about the place when her gaze caught something on the ground. Suddenly it hit her that she'd dropped her roses and not to mention sat on them when the boy had knocked her over.

"Oh no…"

The boy's grin turned to a look of concern at the sudden change of expression across the little girl's face. He had never seen such a smile before and didn't want to see it go so soon. She ignored him as she walked two paces and knelt before a pile of ruined white roses.

"What is it _chérie_?"

With a saddened expression Marie reached out a trembling hand and picked up the pitiful remains of the white roses. She held them up for the boy to see as she replied sadly.

"Mah roses are ruined."

Tears brimmed in her big green eyes but she fought hard and bit them back. She'd cried in front of a boy once and it had ended in a lot of teasing and taunting. She'd given the boy who'd called her a _baby_ a good punch in the jaw that had sent him home crying to his mother. Despite her winning hand, she refused to cry in front of this boy. The boy on the other hand, saw her tears and felt his gut give a horrible twist of guilt. He'd seen her before, seen the tears in her emerald eyes as she'd walked around the park. But then he had seen the joy in her eyes when she'd found the roses earlier. Biting down on his lower lip, he rested his hands comfortingly on her small shoulders. She shifted away her gaze from him despite his attempts to catch it.

"Shhh don' cry _cherie_. Y' jus' wait here an' Remy be back in a minute _d'accord_?"

Marie nodded as she wiped away an escaped tear from her cheek. As the boy disappeared, she discarded the ruined roses and sat back down on the angel's feet. She was beginning to wonder where the boy had gone when not five minutes later she was startled slightly when a dozen red roses were placed in front of her nose.

A gasp of amazement escaped her before she turned around to see the same boy standing behind her. He held onto the leg of the angel to hold him steady as he held out the small bouquet to her. He brandished a smug grin at her as she took the roses with a starry-look in her eyes.

"Dey not white _mon chére mais_ dey were de only one's Remy could find."

Marie smiled back at him as she held a rose under her nose and took in the aroma. When she pulled back, she smiled and replied shyly.

"That's fahne. Ah lahke red roses better any how. Thank ya."

The boy grinned. Suddenly, a moment later, he made an agile step and stood before her once again. He held out a hand for her to take once more but this time for her to shake as he replied.

"Dat's okay _mon chére_. Though now 'mebe we should introduce ourselves _non_?"

Marie smiled as she took his hand shook it gently.

"Mah name's Marie."

The boy smiled and acting like the gentleman his father swore he would be, he raised her smaller hand to his lips and kissed it making Marie giggle and blush as he replied.

"_Je m'appelle_ Remy. An' if y' don' mind Remy askin', why y' wearin' gloves _cherie_?"

Marie shrugged innocently as she replied.

"Ah dunno really. Mah parents make meh wear 'em all the tahme. Never really tol' meh why…"

She frowned slightly but it was only for a moment. Remy nodded in reply but there was a hint of curiosity that sparked in his demonic eyes. He let the subject go as he sat himself down beside her, his back against the angel's calves as he spoke once more.

"So what y' doin' round here? Dis ain't a place f' a _petite fille_ like y'self, y' know." (small girl)

It was Marie's turn to shrug as she replied with a gentle but altogether _sly_ smile.

"It ain't no place f' a _petit garcon_ either." (Small boy)

Remy chuckled and replied with another grin on his face.

"_Touché mon chére_."

"Why do ya call meh that when ya know mah name?"

"Dunno. Habit?"

"Y' mean y' call a lot o' girls that?"

Remy grinned and replied.

"Non, jus' y'."

"So…ah'm _dear_?"

"Oh very."

Marie blushed crimson but smiled nonetheless. Remy was quite the charmer for his young age and for some reason, she found him easy to trust. After a moment of thought, Marie finally spoke up. The blush on her cheeks had faded as she found herself lost in his gaze once more. She asked innocently enough, not throwing a hint of caution to the wind as she spoke.

"Why are ya eyes lahke that?"

Remy paled at her words. Quick as a flash, he pulled a pair of sun glasses out of his trench coat pocket and covered his eyes with them as he spoke nervously.

"_Je suis désolé mon_ _chérie_. M' know dey're frightenin'-"

"No! No- no they ain't scary, why ya hide 'em?"

Remy nearly gapped at her when she reached out and rested her gentle hand on his shoulder. No one had ever asked him not to hide his eyes away. They'd made other children cry and adults draw back in fear or disgust. He'd been called_ Le diable blanc _since the day he was born and here out of all people stood a small girl only a few years younger than himself, telling him not to hide them from her while others damned him for owning such demonic eyes. He raised a curious brow at her.

"Y'- Y' not scared by dem?"

Marie laughed lightly as she replied with a small smile.

"Scared? Meh? Nawh, ah lahke ya eyes. They're beautiful."

Remy couldn't help but grin like an idiot as she smiled up at him. No one had ever said that either.

"_Merci mon chére_. Dat's _tres _sweet o' y'."

She blushed again as she replied.

"So will ya take them shades off?"

Remy was reluctant at first but one look into those pools of green she called eyes was enough to convince him otherwise. He pulled off his shades for her. He couldn't express how pleased he was to find a smile graced Marie's lips as she replied.

"Ya' look better without 'em."

"Y' be de only one who's said dat."

He chuckled sheepishly. Marie gave a confused look.

"Why's that?"

Remy ran a hand through his hair as he replied. Shame glazed over his eyes as he spoke.

"Well,… Not too many people like my eyes. Dey call moi _Le diable blanc_ back home b'cause dey t'ink m' a _white devil. _Dese eyes are cursed._"_

Marie gave Remy a sympathetic look as he turned his gaze away from her. No one should have to be treated like that, not a boy as sweet as Remy. She hadn't known him long, about half an hour at the least but she knew him enough to know that he was a highly misunderstood boy. Gently, she reached out and rested a hand on his cheek as she spoke.

"Ya shouldn't hate ya eyes Remy. People don't know what they're thinkin' f' callin' ya that."

He turned slowly to meet her gaze. He lingered there for a moment or two with a blank look across his face. Finally, after about a half a minute, he gave a crooked half-smile and replied gently.

"Y' got a big heart _chérie_._ Merci_. Not everyone in dis world got one like yours. Y' special."

Marie blushed but smiled shyly. She tucked back a loose strand of white behind her left ear as she shifted her gaze to her feet and replied.

"Ah'm nothin' special."

He chuckled softly before he answered with a bright exuberance to his voice.

"_Oui_ y' are! Y' _trés special!_" (very)

She pushed him lightly in the shoulder and refused to meet his gaze as she replied.

"No ah'm not!"

"Why d' y' t'ink y' have such unique hair den?"

He fingered one of the streaks that framed her face. At his actions, Marie pushed him away, causing him to lose his balance and tumble to the floor with a thud as she yelled in distress.

"B'cause ah'm mutant alright!"

Remy's eyes widened for a moment as he remained on the ground with a dumbfounded look. A moment later, as Marie stared anxiously back at him, a smile crossed his lips as he exclaimed with a click of his fingers.

"Remy knew y' were _chérie_!"

Marie's expression changed in a moment, from happy content to nervous and almost fearful after his words. She knew, even at her age, that mutants were feared and hated by the world. And though she didn't admit it, she was afraid of the world that hated her kind. She was a mutant but her powers hadn't manifested just yet. From the unique bangs of white that framed her face she knew that she wasn't _normal_. She would never _be normal._ Nervously, she got off the statue and took a step back and as she replied.

"Ah- Ah'm not yet, ah mean, ah-ah am but ah don't have any powers yet-"

"_Woah dere chére!_"

He replied with raised hands in reassurance as he tried to keep her calm and near by.

"Don't y' worry none. Remy's a mutant too! Remy's eyes, dey're what make him mutant but Remy don't have any powers either. Not yet."

It took a second for Marie's jaw dropped in amazement before she replied with a hopeful smile.

"Really?"

Remy nodded, nothing but honesty in his eyes as he replied.

"Sure am _chérie_."

Rogue practically beamed she was smiling so brightly.

"Ya know _Swamp Rat_, ah think ah lahke ya."

Remy chuckled at that name and raised a bemused brow as he replied.

"_Swamp Rat?_"

"Ya a N' Orleans boy raght?"

"_Oui_ an' y' be a _River Rat_ from Mississippi _non_?"

Marie giggled slightly with a roll of her eyes at the charming Cajun. It would be no surprise to her if he grew up to be a charmer**.** The two fell into a comfortable silence with smiles upon their faces but the moment of amity came to an end when an alarming siren began to blare and echo off the crumbling city buildings and into their ears. Both children covered their ears at the horrible noise. Marie turned to Remy with panicked alarm as she yelled over the noise.

"What's goin' on Remy? What is that sound?!"

Remy replied in a slightly stronger yell as he kept his ears covered.

"Remy don't know _chére_!"

Frantically, Remy looked around the park grounds. His heart was pounding with anxiety but he kept a brave face for Marie who was frightened as she clutched his arm and stayed close to his side. After skimming over the grounds with his gaze, he took Marie's smaller hand in his and looked back down at her and called out over the alarm.

"Come wit' _moi_ Marie! We gotta get out o' here!"

They took off with Remy leading Marie out of the park at a quick speed.

They were only just outside of the park grounds when suddenly a louder noise overpowered the alarm and a large shadow passed over them making both children stop in their tracks. Like two mice caught in the shadow of a housecat, Marie edged closer to Remy and kept a tight hold on his hand. She followed when he pulled them towards a nearby bush and took cover under its branches. Both children looked up in time to watch as the shadow that fell over the grounds connected to a figure, or more a metal robot figure that towered over them from metres away. The robot was in the shape of a man with a coal-black metal frame and glowing yellow eyes that scanned over the terrain. Its rocket powered metal legs kept it in flight as it flew by like a circling hawk.

"Wha- what do ya think that thing is?"

Marie asked Remy nervously with her eyes glued to the monster of metal as it flew above them. Remy frowned at the robot mistrustingly. His _Père _had told him about these monsters; _the sentinel_. He knew he had to get them out of there before the real trouble came.

"R-Remy?"

Remy turned his gaze away from the sentinel and back to Marie. She was trembling with fright but she seemed to be holding it back best she could. Taking a last glance at the sentinel he whispered in a rushed voice.

"Marie we gotta get outa here-"

"What are those things Remy?"

Remy hushed her as another sentinel flew over them. When it was a good twenty metres away from them, he took Marie's hand and tugged her to her feet as he whispered.

"Okay come on, follow Remy..."

They stealthily made their way away from the sentinels. Remy knew the way back to the Thieves guild base but he was sure it would be too dangerous to try to get there without stopping to take cover and rest. Now usually a boy of his age would be wetting their pants over this kind of danger, but then Remy was unlike a lot of boys. He was his own little master. They found cover in the broken shell of a small car that had been flipped over onto hits head. Remy let her slip through the broken windshield before sliding in after. They lay side by side on their bellies. Both were out of breath and shaking from head to foot when Marie spoke.

"Where- Wh- where are w-we goin'?"

Remy kept his eyes on the sentinels as he replied.

"Remy knows a safe place _mais_ it be too far. We jus' gotta find somewhere close t' hide, dem sentinels up dere, dey ain't no good news."

"Sentinels?"

She asked confusedly.

"_Oui._ Dey be ol' Apocalypse's-"

"Apocalypse?!"

Remy instantly put a hand over her mouth to silence her. It was in that moment the alarm stopped. Remy raised an index finger to his lips to tell her to keep quiet as his eyes immediately switched to the skies. He let Marie go after a moment or two. Marie set her eyes to the skies but they kept falling back on Remy. The fear and the unnerving silence that captivated her seemed less with him at her side. She didn't know what was happening but she knew the silence wasn't good. A few fearsome moments of uncertainty and silence passed until Rogue finally spoke, gulping down her nervousness before she spoke.

"Ah- ah think they're gone-"

All of a sudden a thunderous sound that made the ground under their feet move beneath them made Marie yelp in surprise as the ground grumbled violently underneath them. Remy told Marie to follow him, however, they were but only a few feet away from their last spot when suddenly a sentinel's giant metal foot came down from above. It would've squashed them flat if Remy hadn't had the quickness to pull them away at the last second. They landed some five feet away from where the giant's foot had landed. Remy shielded her with his body lying over hers as they looked up only to find a pair of glowing, artificial yellow eyes looking down on them like flashlights. They were caught in the light like escaped convicts. Marie felt herself freeze on the spot from where she lay. They sat their staring at the godly giant for a full minute before its great orb-like eyes turned brighter and turned a vivid red. They began to charge with energy, sending a buzzing noise ripping through the air. Remy and Marie didn't have to be smart kids to realize that they wouldn't be able to run when those identical eyes fired upon them. The charging sound began to pierce their ears making both children clutch each other close as they scrunched their faces and closed their eyes waiting for the worst to happen. A numbing silence surrounded them as Marie let the few white roses she still had fall freely from her hands as she held onto Remy for almost dear life. He did much the same as they waited for the end.

But it never came.

Not a moment later the two felt a pair of strong hands grab them and they were pulled into the hold of a tall, strong figure who whisked them away a second before a great blazing light blasted the ground. The force of the blast sent the two children and their saviour flying about six feet ahead as the ground exploded in a mass of rubble, flame and thick clouds of smoke. Marie opened her eyes only too see that a fog of smoke had engulfed them. She stood on her hands and knees beside Remy and the man who saved them. The man, Jean-Luc Lebeau, look up from his crumpled position did he suddenly jump to his feat and grab both Marie and Remy and told them to run for it as the Sentinel made to give chase. However, not a moment later, the sentinel stopped in mid-action.

A metal-against-metal crunching noise began to cut through the air. Its metal joints began to scrape against each other as it began to pull and strain furiously in the air. A moment later a cloaked and helmeted figure descended from the sky of smoke until he was level with the sentinel's head. His strong arms rose before him like a conductor would an orchestra. An azure-blue glow erupted from his hands, keeping a powerful hold on the giant of metal. Jean-Luc, Remy and Marie stopped some distance away from the sentinel to watch. It was then that Marie realised who was holding back the metal monster. A single whisper came from her lips as she stared at the skies.

"Daddy…"

Remy's ears caught Marie's whisper in an instant. His brow furrowed in bemusement but before he could ask anything there was a thunderous crunching sound and the sentinel's body began to crank and bend as Magneto began to break the tower of metal down piece by piece. It began to surge with electricity before a great explosion erupted from the sentinel's torso. The machine fell to the ground in pieces and flames of smoke with a deafening crash that rippled through the ground. The three figures waited a moment or two for the smoke to clear. Moments later, Magneto stepped out from the smoke and back onto the solid ground. Marie ran to her father's out stretched arms not a minute later. Marie couldn't help the bright smile from forming on her face as she hugged her father tightly. It was when she pulled back and Eric stood up again with her small hand in his that the reunited father and daughter turned to look back at Remy and _his_ father. Jean-Luc smiled gratefully at Magneto, a protective arm around his son's shoulder as he spoke. A sigh of relief was present in his voice as well as gratitude.

"Dat was a close one Lencherr _mais merci_."

Eric nodded back with a polite and equally grateful smile as he replied.

"It is I who must thank you Jean-Luc. You saved my daughter."

Marie smiled at Remy who returned it with a knowing grin. The danger was gone for now. The two children were transfixed to one another when their fathers words broke them out of the trance.

"Well Jean-Luc, I best think we should both be on our ways. This place isn't safe for long."

Jean-Luc agreed, causing both children's faces to pull disappointment expressions. Neither knew if they would ever see the other again. The two shared sad glances, mouthing each other a goodbye before their fathers made their last words and proceeding to lead them away in separate directions.

Marie walked alongside her father with heavy shoulders and tears threatening to fall as she dragged her feet along the ground. She replayed the last two hours she'd spent with the cute Cajun boy.

"_Wish ah got t' know him more…"_

As Remy's father led the way, Remy lagged behind with his head down and his hands in his pockets. He let a sigh escape him but before he could make another step, his demonic eyes fell on something that stood in his path. His eyes brightened as a grin crossed his face. He bent down and took the item into his hand before turning around and making a run after Marie as he called back to his father to wait a moment. Marie had followed her father no more than few ten or so steps when she heard the distant call of an all too familiar voice.

"Marie, wait!"

A smile bloomed across her face as she pulled out of her father's hold and spun around and made a run towards the voice. When the two found each other, Remy smiled down on her as he tried to catch his breath.

"Remy t'ink y' dropped somethin'."

Grinning at her confused look, Remy raised his hand to reveal a single, unspoiled red rose, fully bloomed and at point of perfection. Marie felt herself staring at it for a moment of eternity before she reached out and took it gently. Tears turned her eyes starry as she looked up at him and replied gently.

"Thank ya _swamp rat_."

Remy grinned like an idiot but his expression changed to a more serious mood as he spoke once more as he took her hand in his one last time.

"Remy promise y' Marie. Next time Remy sees y' he'll bring y' fresh roses, _d'accord?_"

Marie blushed as she smiled up at him. A moment later she threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Jus' as long as ya promise t' see meh again."

Remy smiled down at her as he returned the hug and replied.

"I promise."

They pulled away and continued to smile and stare as they took began to walk away from each other. Remy turned his back, not wanting to watch her leave, but was stopped one last time by her voice. He turned to watch as she ran towards him once more. When she stopped in front of him, she raised her hands to the back of her neck. He stared at her confusedly for a moment but his questioning look was answered when she took his hand and placed a small object inside. He turned his gaze to his hand to find an oval shaped emerald set in a gold base and chain in his hand. He looked up at her with an uncertain look as he struggled to say something. She beat him to it with a smile.

"That's t' make sure ya _do _come fahnde meh. Give it back when ya do okay?"

He nodded mutely as she blushed pink. She said goodbye one last time before turning around and running back to her father. Remy stood still with the emerald pendant in hand. At his father's call, he broke from his thoughts and returned to his father's side. Though neither was within sight when they did so, both took their last backward glimpses before they stepped out of each others lives forever.

Or so they thought.

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_**THERE! That was MUCH better! I hope you think so too!**_

_**REVIEW!**_

_**-Gams **_


	2. Living in the Present

_**Hey everyone! Thanks for all the reviews! Much appreciated!**_

_**-Gams**_

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**Chapter One – Living in the Present **

_**Ten years later…**_

Marie Lencherr couldn't stop the exhilarated grin from spreading across her lips as she felt her body turn abruptly with the growling machine beneath her. The lively motorcycle roared angrily against the whip of the wind as she turned at a corner abruptly. Her hair whipped violently behind her as the motor hummed in her ears. She kept her helmet-clad head tucked beneath the safety of the wind shield of the bike while the leather suit provided her body with protection from the wind and speed. She raced across the narrow street ways of the slums like a green wasp with wheels instead of wings. New York City had long been turned into one of Apocalypse's high-society citadels but there were still some areas along the water side that remained untouched by his claws. Marie thanked the poor human souls who left the slum in charred disarray before _the end_ came about. In a way, by ruining what they had built, they had immortalised the slum forever as a part of the old world. Marie felt a pang of remorse hit her with the thought. Though she hadn't been alive when Apocalypse took the word under his iron fist, she had seen and read so many old pictures and books in the Avalon Archives **(1)** that she felt herself connected to it. The old world stood around her in shambles and broken walls but the beauty and culture remained vivid in her thoughts. Suddenly the current world pulled her back as another angry roar growled in her ears from a distance. She looked quickly into one of her mirrors, expecting to see Apocalypse's guards tailing her but was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar figure riding behind her. Another grin broke across her face as a small chuckle escaped her lips. She waved quickly with one hand as the figure on a silver motorcycle came to ride along side her. The streets were narrow but large enough for both bikes to ride along side each other. The figure was clad in similar apparel to hers. A leather jacket and a polished black bike helmet that was coloured only by a single silver stripe that ran across the centre of the helmet. He turned his head briefly to acknowledge her but not a moment later, he revved the engine loudly and with a skilled motion he rolled off on his hind-wheel at a faster pace. Marie laughed at his actions and took his offer of chase with the rev of her own metal and motor steed.

The two friends raced across the streets of the slums, down the narrow alley ways and across the shore side road until late afternoon. By then the air was thick with the dust that had flown from under their wheels while their limbs were sore with the strain of the ride. The afternoon sun beamed down on them from behind a half-torn skyscraper as they pulled to a stop at a still-standing boat dock. Marie pulled off her helmet and placed it on the seat of her bike. She ran a hand through her two-toned hair and turned to her friend with an impish grin as she spoke.

"Ya weren't even tryin' t' beat meh back there sugah. Ah don't know if ya know what a race is!"

The young man beside her let out a gentle chuckle as he-too placed his helmet on the seat of his bike. He pulled off his gloves too as he leant against the bike and turned to match her gaze.

"As I remember, _I'm _the one who challenged _you_ to a race-"

"But ya didn't win."

She taunted him with a playful smile across her lips. The warm sunlight highlighted the left side of her face, setting her unique hair ablaze in reds and golds as she took a similar position against her bike. She folded her arms across her chest as she waited for him to reply. He scowled at her as he replied, or more, _whined _irritably.

"You're so mean t' me Marie."

"_Ah,_ but ah'm not as mean t' ya as ah am t' everyone else. Therefore ah'm not _so_ mean."

Marie chuckled as she habitually began to twist a strand of white around her index. She was one of the few people who knew when Augustus or 'Gus' as people called him wasn't being serious. He _enjoyed_ their teasing banters just as much as he enjoyed losing badly to his best friend. He watched her with a handsome smile across his face. Unlike other mutants, Gus was a mutant with extraordinary powers that reflected quite literally in his eyes. When his powers were not in use, his eyes were a honey-coated brown shade. When they _were _in use, his eyes were set a glow with gold. He had the power to produce disruptive pulses from his eyes which could disable any system both mechanical and organic. In the case of mutants, this allowed him to disable their powers at will. A comfortable silence broke between the two friends until Gus decided to speak. He ran a hand over his short buzz-cut of blonde hair over his head as he spoke.

"Marie?"

She turned to meet his gaze at the call of her name. A gentle smile spread across her lips as she replied.

"Hmm?"

Gus took a silent breath of air before stepping forward. He felt his heart pound in his throat as he tried to keep a level head. When he spoke, he stood before her with one hand inching ever so cautiously towards hers.

"We've been best friends since we were kids and…and you know I care about you…"

Marie nodded but a puzzled look was beginning to form across her face as he continued. His fingers brushed against her ever-gloved hand in the gentlest of touches as he met her emerald-coloured gaze. He grew silent for a moment or two before speaking again.

"I will _always_ care about you."

Marie felt herself gulping silently as she stared up at him with an unsure look. Why was he suddenly so contemplative about their friendship? She resisted the urge to bite down nervously on her lower lip as Gus took another step that broke the boundary of her personal space. She felt the still-warm motor of her bike against the back of her jeans-clad legs as his hands wrapped around her upper arms. She could feel the warmth of his hands under her jacket as he held her firmly and refused to leave her gaze. She gulped one last time before he spoke up.

"Will you let me try something?"

She already knew what he was going to ask. From the rapid thudding of her heart against her rib cage to her shortness of breath, she knew what was coming. She watched as he moved closer and as if on cue she became still as his soft lips pressed innocently against her own. It was her first kiss. _Their_ first kiss. His lips were softer than she had anticipated and warm with all the tenderness he could muster. It was as if the sunset that beamed down on them from above had coursed through his lips and through to hers. A moment later, the kiss changed. It became more than just an innocent peck. Though he was gentle with her, the kiss was tender and passionate in its own rights. She felt his hands slip from her arms to wrap around her waist as her hands slowly began to slide up his chest and around his neck. A minute or two later, when air became too precious to ignore any longer, they broke apart. A couple of breathless seconds later, sheepish smiles spread across their face and a pair of similar chuckles escaped their lips. Gus cupped her face in his hands as he smiled down on her. The sunlight set his skin aglow like honey while in turn it set her pale skin a glow like a white pearl in the sun. Gently, Marie raised her hands and wrapped them around his as she spoke.

"Ah wasn't expectin' that."

He chuckled softly and continued to grin as he replied.

"Are you okay with this?"

Marie took a moment before she moved forward and pressed her lips ever so gently against his. He stood there with a blank, surprised look before he spoke again.

"Is that a yes?"

She convinced him by pulling him close and kissing him once more.

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_**Meanwhile, somewhere in the heart of New Orleans…**_

Remy LeBeau gave a crooked smile as he eyed the hand of cards within his grasp; _a royal flush_ _of spades_. With an air of smugness and confidence, he turned back to the contenders that surrounded the table. Each face eyed him with scornful distrust or a smug smile that branded them a fool of ignorance. Their expressions caused the smirk across his lips to broaden as he placed his winning hand on the table. An eruption of blasphemous words and growls of annoyance broke out over the table. A triumphant smile spread across the young man's face as he pulled his winnings towards him in a cluttered pile of notes. It was like any other night with a bottle and glass of bourbon near one hand and a hand of winning cards in the other. He counted his winnings carefully and quickly before tucking them neatly away in one of the many pockets of his coat. When he was done, a satisfied sigh escaped his lips and he stood from his chair. He drowned the last of his drink and placed a fifty dollar bill generously on table before he made to leave. He was not two steps away from the table when a voice spoke from behind him.

"There ain't no way you pulled that hand fair and square _Gambit_."

An amused grin spread across his lips as a gentle chuckle hummed through his chest. He replied without turning to face the voice.

"Y' know _Gambit_ too little den _monsieur_. He don't need cards up his sleaves t' win a few rounds of poker."

A hearty chuckle erupted from the figure as he turned to face him. Seated in the chair across the table sat a sinewy young man, clad in a leather coat. The only thing that spoke distinction from the man was the glimpse of a distinctive black, red and navy coloured uniform from just under his throat. Peter Wisdom, or Wisdom as he went by in the open, had many faces and identities but this was one of his more prestigious. An Apocalypse guard uniform could gain a man or a mutant in this case, inside information without fail unless his mask was upturned on the inside. Thankfully, Peter had not been so unfortunate. _Yet._ With a crooked smile across his face, Peter reached across the table and picked up Remy's old glass and half-empty bottle of bourbon. He poured himself a drink and took a swig before he spoke again. Remy had already taken back his seat when he began. The thickness of his low-end British accent that was usually butchered by an artificial American accent began to push through as he continued to speak.

"Do you have some time to spare?"

"A little."

"Good."

Peter drowned the bourbon with the one tilt-back of his head before he let out a satisfied sigh. When he turned to meet the young Cajun's gaze once more, he did so with a suddenly grave expression.

"I heard about you're _engagement._ You have my congratulations. I hope you and your_ fiancée_ have a happy marriage."

A half-snort of laughter erupted from Remy's lips as he smiled with a sardonic twist to his voice.

"T'anks _mon ami. Mais_ Gambit don't t'ink it's strictly necessary t' congratulate him. As for de _'happy marriage'_ part…"

It was Wisdom's turn to give a half-snort of amusement as Remy trailed off. He let out sigh and gave an _'oh well'_ sort of look before he drowned a second glass of bourbon. He placed the glass back on the table and didn't touch it again as he replied.

"When's the wedding?"

Remy turned his unusual gaze to the table and paused a moment before replying. He let out a deep breath as he spoke.

"Two years."

His friend nodded in understanding. After a few seconds of silence, the raven-haired young man let out a defeated sigh and leant forward. He rested his hands on the table and weaved his fingers together as he turned his gaze to his friend. He lowered his voice from its cold, unattached tone as he spoke.

"You can do a lot o' things in two years, LeBeau."

Remy nodded but his heart wasn't quite in it. It was true he had a large amount of time on his hands. He could paint the town red with a glass of bourbon in one hand and a beautiful woman in his bed each night. He could travel the world and steal an artefact from each place just to prove it. Hell, he could rob Apocalypse blind and still live long enough to tell the tale. All of this was well and good to do…but he was still getting married when he turned twenty-one. To a complete stranger he knew nothing about except for the fact that she was the daughter of Magnus Lencherr, better known as a mutant outlaw known as Magneto and their marriage was to put a finishing touch on the Peace Treaty between his Guild and Magneto's Guild. A deep sigh of pent up frustration escaped his lips as he slumped back into his chair. '_Two Years.'_ The fact loomed over his thoughts like a poltergeist.

"When did your Pa tell you the news?"

Remy kept his gaze on the now-empty bottle of bourbon between his fingers and replies.

"Dis morning."

He heard Peter give a small grunt of acknowledgement. Though their conversation was vague and provided no evidence that they were actually close friends, considering the circumstances, it was only ethical to be cautious of what was said in the open. With the marriage circumstance aside, there were plenty of Apocalypse's spies planted amongst the general public that could be listening. Since mutants were no longer the prey of society or the Government, it only made circumstances a little darker for those wishing to remain invisible to Apocalypse's attention. Apocalypse' had _mutant spies_ of all kinds out in plain sight. Telepaths, shape shifters, teleporters and various other monsters lived to feed their commanding Lord with all the details of the_ imperfections _within his Empire. The Thieves Guild was one of those _imperfections_ simply because it was a mixed race organisation that paid no homage or respect to their _so-called-Sovereign._ The organisation thrived on secrecy and Apocalypse's ignorance. During the reign of the Old World, they had thrived with wealth, secrecy and an ability to buy them out of the concern of the Human Governments of the world. Apocalypse could not be bartered with riches or threats. Thus the need for secrecy, caution and invisibility in plain sight became the code of conduct for all members of the Thieves Guild. Now, it seemed that they planned on making _allies _a key code of conduct. Remy was all for the greater good of the guild, he just didn't want to attach his life to another for that cause.

When Jean-Luc LeBeau had called him to his office that morning before training, he had been sure that something was terribly wrong. Something _big _was very wrong. He had been mistaken in the regard that there was no actual _problem_ but right in that it was a problem for _him. _He hadn't believed it at first, refused to believe it and swore that he wouldn't. It was then his father pulled out the contract itself. His father had read it to him when he made no response or action to take it.

"…_On the 20__th__ December 2029, Remy Etienne Lebeau, twenty-one and Marie Rosalie Lencherr, eighteen will be bound in holy and legal matrimony. A contract of which is unbreakable and absolute. This marriage will take place as an act to justify and complete the treaty of peace and unity between the Thieves Guild of New Orleans and those of the Acolytes of Avalon. If either of the betrothed should refuse or absconder this marriage, the peace treaty will be terminated and open war will surface in its place…"_

There was a great deal more to the treaty but Jean-Luc did not continue with the rest. He looked truly apologetic about it all, much to Remy's surprise. However, he was not at liberty to neither refuse the deal nor negotiate a respectful decline. A bargain was a bargain. Remy's life was now a bargain set in stone along with the woman he was to marry in two years.

"Are you going to meet her?"

Remy broke away from his thoughts as if from a trance. He turned a bemused glance towards his friend. Peter repeated his question again.

"Are you going to meet her before the wedding?"

Remy shook his head.

"_Non. _I won't meet her until de Wedding."

He wanted to laugh sardonically at his own words. He had prided himself in being a man without any immediate prospects like marriage and such. Someday, sure, why not get married and settle down but in a world where mutants are either corrupt with power or dying to keep the human race from extinction or worse, how could you think of such prospects? How could you think of bringing a child into this so-called Empire let alone bind yourself to another person when the stakes of living were pushed so far against you? He could barely believe he would be standing at the altar in two years time. But it would happen regardless of what he thought. No matter how much he stood against it, he_ would _abide by the will of the Guild. What choice did he have? Another deep sigh escaped him as he pushed away the bourbon bottle.

"_Might not have a choice about mon future mais, I still have a say in de present."_

He clapped the arms of his chair and rose from it at a leisurely pace. Peter gave him a puzzled look, almost concerned it seemed, before he spoke.

"Where you off to?"

Remy gave a classic charming smirk that set his eyes aglow as he spoke.

"A lot can happen in two years _mon ami_. Gambit's not about to let it go t' waste."

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**REVIEW! **

**(1) **_**'Avalon' will be explained in detail later but just for reference, it's the base for Magneto's Clan. A 'sanctuary' for mutants of sorts.**_

_**NEXT CHAPTER: Rogue finds out about the arrangement and tragedy strikes for the first time. **_

**-Gams **


	3. For a Greater Good

_**Hey everyone! Thanks so much for the reviews!**_

_**That tragedy I spoke of last chapter will be delayed until next update!**_

_**-Gams**_

_****_

**Chapter Two – For a Greater Good**

_**Six months later…**_

Eric Lencherr let out a miserable, deep sigh. A troublesome matter had befallen upon him this day. He hadn't felt so torn between unbearable guilt and a sense of righteousness since the day he accepted the qualifications of the treaty. It was so hard to think it had been ten years since that day. He had always known that a treaty between the Thieves Guild and his Acolytes would be won with compromises. He knew that it would be a difficult one to follow through when he had agreed to treaty. He only wished that there had been an easier method of telling _her_. The elderly old man turned his gaze to the wide window of his office. All that stood outside was green and lush, full of life. Even the limestone wall that enclosed the grounds was caked in moss, vines and other wild plants. There was nothing but miles of forest land outside the gates of the sanctuary that he'd built for his family and any who needed shelter from the world. Beyond that was the beach that encircled the island and open water. Eric Lencherr kept telling himself that there was no other way. Being a leader and a father, he was obligated to do what he thought best for his family, his clan and above all their safety. He closed his weary eyes and let another deep sigh escape him.

"_It will all be for a greater good…"_

He did not get the time to convince himself further as a sudden nock on the door broke through his thoughts. Turning in his chair, Eric put away his thoughts and put on the grave mask of the Commander of his Acolytes. He cleared his throat before answering but nevertheless, his reply was feeble and hoarse with emotion.

"Come in."

A moment later the door was opened by a tall lean figure of a man, followed by a slightly shorter young woman. Grim, anxious expressions mirrored across the two siblings faces. At those looks, Eric felt the weight of the world drape across his shoulders like metal prison shackles. _This was going to be a lot harder than he had anticipated._ While his daughter Wanda took a seat, his eldest son Pietro refused the seat in front of the desk. Instead, he stood straight and silent. His expression mirrored his father's grave look but there was an undoubtable melancholy in those silver eyes. When his father didn't breathe a word, Pietro found the voice to speak first and broke the icy silence.

"You sent for us Father?"

The usually arrogant and quick-tongued young man surprised his father and his sister with the severe tone in his voice. Eric did not need to guess what his son was thinking. He could only guess variations of what his son so obviously wished to say but pride forced his silence. When Pietro (and Wanda) had come of age at the ripe age of eighteen, as their protocol dictated, he had been informed of the _details _of the peace treaty with the Thieves Guild. To say the least, the final and most important part of the contract had not sat well with him or his twin sister. Reluctantly, they had kept the truth secret. Not that that meant it was an easy burden to bear of course. Eric nodded vaguely in response and sat up straighter as he webbed his hands together on top of the desk. His voice was weighed down with obvious malcontent when he spoke.

"I plan on telling Marie about the treaty today. I was hoping you would bring her here for me. I believe she is in the Danger Room…"

The look of alarm was quick to spread across Pietro's fair features but he was quicker to hide away his reaction as soon as it appeared. What a blessing and a curse it was to be the fastest man alive. He stood there half-gaping for a good three seconds before he managed to say something coherent.

"You- you're going to tell her? Why? Why now-?"

"I received a message from Jean-Luc-"

"When did-?"

"He told me he informed Remy of the arrangement of their marriage. He took it rather _well_, considering our expectations."

Pietro gave an unsure inquisitive look with the arch of his brow.

"Did he _agree_? Will he marry her?"

Eric nodded firmly, his gaze never faltering from his son's face. Pietro gave a deep sigh that was neither relieved nor dissatisfied. It meant a great deal to him that there would be no hostilities between the clans but the happiness of his sister was not a something he wished to bargain with. Not even for the greater good of their cause. A tense silence spread across the room for a few short minutes. Eric took the time to turn to his daughter. Wanda had gaped silently but remained silent even after the initial shock of what he had said. She kept her gaze down turned and her hands meshed together on her lap. It was unsettling to watch her keep so calm and passive of even the slightest emotion that was anger-fuelled. He had grown accustom to brash outbursts from Wanda but not from Pietro. He retorted with disbelief masking his anger.

"I can't believe you're really going to go through with this!"

Eric raised a hand to pacify him but Pietro had none of it. His anger came out in another burst of hurried words that no one human, or humanly that fast, could comprehend. Eric asked him to repeat himself. Pietro took an angry, deep breath and exhaled before repeating himself.

"When did you get this message father? Can't you delay it a little longer?"

Eric shook his head with a heavy sigh.

"I have delayed it as long as possible."

Pietro gave a confused look, so he continued to explain.

"I received the message some six months ago Pietro. I cannot delay the inevitable any further. I am sorry."

Pietro's brow furrowed considerably.

"Six months? Then why did you…?"

"Can't you guess why brother?"

Both men turned to look into Wanda's furious silver-blue eyes. Fire was kindled within those eyes, causing both men to look away with shame. Pietro gave a grave sigh and ran a hand through his metallic-white hair. He knew alright. With another sigh, he met his father's gaze and replied forlornly.

"I'll go and find her."

After Pietro left to find Rogue, Wanda stood from her seat and turned to her father. He had moved to the wide window of the office and buried his face in one hand with a weary sigh. Wanda had never seen her father show any form of weakness, not even remorse was a common look for her father. Despite the anger and blame she held against him for agreeing to the treaty on such terms, she felt a pang of sympathy for him. Gently, she came to rest a hand on her father's shoulder as an act of reassurance. Eric turned to meet his eldest daughter's gaze and gave a half-hearted attempt at a smile but it was too feeble to be thankful. Wanda let out a sigh before she whispered with a strained voice.

"If there was another way to settle the treaty, would you-?"

"I would have taken it in an instant."

The elderly man gave a guilt-riddled sigh before he replied.

"Wanda, there really is no other way. A treaty is a riddle of compromises. Not all are in our favour."

Wanda nodded.

"I understand that but at what cost?"

He couldn't give an answer.

__

The water was like a second skin to her as she plummeted through it like a cannonball. While most people disliked the sudden rush of cold water on the first dive, she relished in it with a smile. It was the closest thing to flying she could ever get. The coolness and the rush of bubbles tickled her skin as the thrust of the dive began to wane. When the force of the dive dissolved, she glided to a halt in the middle of the grand swimming pool. Marie rose to the surface and gasped air before she turned onto her back. She floated there silently for a good two minutes with her eyes closed and a smile in place.

She had practically melted into the water as soon as she finished her danger room session and was intent upon relaxing for the rest of the day but unfortunately, that was not to be. Suddenly out of nowhere there was a great splash followed by a sudden shift in the water that caused Marie to sit up. No sooner had she done so, she felt a pair of large hands wrap around her ankles and pull her off her balance with a screech of surprise. She crashed back into the water noisily before rising not two seconds later. She pushed her hair out of her face as she turned to the culprit of the noise. Gus stood in the water in all his half-naked glory. His chuckles echoed across the grand room as she scowled at him menacingly, cocked one hip to the side and growled.

"Didn't ya Mama ever tell ya not t' sneak up on a gal lahke that?"

Gus sniggered, a jester's smile across his face, as he closed the gap between them and kissed her gently on the lips. Marie found herself lost in the kiss before another angry retort or look could muster. He chuckled against her lips and murmured against her mouth.

"My Mama told me to sweep a girl off her feet."

She found it easy to forgive him when he did that but not always. As the kiss deepened a little, Marie slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him a little closer. Suddenly, before he could realise it, he was kissing the water as she forcefully (and mercilessly) dunked him. He rose with a half-splutter of water and glared at her as she lost herself in a fit of laughter. A playful smile spread across his lips before he lunged forward and tackled her into the water again. Their laughter and splashes of water danced across the tall ceiling of the metal and glass room in echoes. They were so preoccupied in their game that they barely noticed the sudden change in the air before a familiar figure appeared as if from nowhere.

Pietro smiled bitterly at them from a distance for a moment before speaking up.

"Marie?"

Marie and Gus didn't hear him until his third attempt to gain their attention. Marie was still chuckling when she replied him.

"Sorry Pietro! Ah didn't hear ya!"

Pietro shrugged with a half-hearted attempt at a smile.

"You two look like you were having too much fun. I guess I shouldn't blame you."

Marie blushed ever so slightly, as did Gus who wasn't usually a seventeen-year-old that managed such a feat. Marie chuckled in an attempt to subside her embarrassment as she fell back into the water. She called out to her brother with laughter in her voice.

"Come an' join us then! The water's great-"

Pietro shook his head in an almost regretful manner. On any other day, he would have declined all the same. He had duties to attend to and responsibilities not too many men or women in their clan were fit to bear. He was his father's right-hand man and despite his young age of twenty-three years, he was wiser than some men double his age. Unlike his sister, who was still underage and restricted from field missions, he had no time for luxury or fun. No matter how much he might have wanted to. Today however, he declined with a heavy heart.

"Father needs to see you in his office."

The smiles across the couple's faces disappeared completely and in their place, seriousness and confusion appeared. Marie nodded in reply and began to swim to the edge of the pool without any further encouragement. Pietro watched with an ever-uneasy heart as Gus followed her and pulled her close before she got out. He whispered something that Pietro couldn't distinguish. Marie nodded in response before briefly pressing her lips against his. She gave him a last small smile before pulling herself out of the pool.

The meeting started with a tense silence. Though Marie didn't know what it was her father needed her for, she felt like she could cut the tension in the air with a knife and still struggle to cut through it. She sat in one of the chairs in front of her father's desk, with a mask of calm across her face; she hid away the impatience that wished to explode from within. Eric had never felt so low in his daughter's own gaze though she gave no inclination of that fact. Call it paranoia or false expectation. As of now she was an enigma to the very white of her unusual streaks to the emerald of her bright green eyes. A silent sigh escaped his lips.

"_She needs to know the truth…"_

He took another moment to ready himself with the words he _had_ to say. He cleared his throat lightly before he began to speak.

"There is something…"

His gaze slipped from her emerald gaze as he spoke, causing him to fall out of sentence and, for a moment, out of his_ Leader_ pretence. He closed his eyes for a moment as the hardness of the situation began to talk a new toll on his speech. The other-wise mighty leader of the Acolytes let out a deep sigh before he continued.

"There is something I must tell you Marie."

Marie eyed him with growing concern. She had _never _seen her father look so torn with distress and determination. Her father had always been a proud man, a true leader that put on an unblemished mask of authority and discipline. She felt like a crack had managed to flaw that mask. It was unnerving. Meanwhile, Magneto tried to keep a controlled and calm voice as he spoke.

"Ten years ago, the head of the Thieves Guild of New Orleans and I agreed on a Peace Treaty between our clans."

He let out another uneasy breath.

"You must understand. Over the years too much blood has been spilt over mistrust between our clansmen. Jean-Luc LeBeau and I have both hoped that with time and effort we might forget our quarrels and put our forces to better use; _for the cause_."

Eric pulled himself from his seat and walked around the desk to kneel in front of his youngest daughter. He grasped her hands gently as he kept her gaze locked with his.

"But for that to occur, a peace treaty of unification is not enough. It is not _final_ enough. That is why…"

He would give anything not to watch her expression as he uttered the truth but he was obligated. He owed her a clear explanation no matter how torturous it might be for them both.

"We came to an agreement of a union of marriage to settle the peace treaty. It is a serious, binding contract that no one can rebuke without breaching Peace terms and the threat of war."

A deafening silence drenched the room in an ice-cold hold. Marie felt her heart jump start again at a terribly fast pace. Her eyes became wide with surprise but not a moment later became narrowed with scepticism and confusion.

"Who- who will…?"

She stopped before her words could form even half a sentence. In her mind she quickly began to fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle. Her father calling her to his office. Pietro's sullen face as they walked to the room. The tension in the air so thick she could cut it with a knife and struggle. Settling the treaty through a bond of marriage…

"_Oh Gawd…"_

Complete horror spread across her features as she withdrew her hands from her father's gentle hold- now acknowledged as an attempt to be of comfort. Could it all just be some horrible dream she was in? Nightmare? Some sort of sick joke?

"No…"

She let the word slip from her parted lips as she stared deeply into her father's silver blue eyes. Gaping, she searched for some kind of hope or comfort in those pools of silver. She saw nothing but the enormity of his guilt. She didn't want to believe it and began to stutter a shell-shocked response.

"Ya- y-ya can't be s-serious? You- you're marryin' meh off to a- a _thief?"_

Anger and hurt began to surface with the flush of red that coursed through her cheeks. Her eyes blazed and flickered on the spot, burning through her father's heart like a knife as he tried to reason with her as _gently_ as possible.

"Marie please, you must-"

"_Ah must understand?_ Ya marryin' meh off ta a complete stranger! What is understandable about _that?!_"

Marie felt like she was close to snapping her sanity. Betrayal and unbelievable hurt began to press down on her with enormous pressure. He was marrying her off to a complete stranger. It didn't even matter that she was so obviously against it. It _would_ be done. She knew if it had something to do with the treaty, it would be done no matter how much she protested against it. She broke from her angry and confused thoughts when Eric let out a sigh and tried to calm her down. He reached for her hand again only for it to be sharply pulled away. For the first time in what was years, Marie looked down at her father and saw an old man; a pleading, guilt-torn old man.

"Marie _please_, let me explain. It was in your best interests and the clan's that I didn't tell you until the right time. It was agreed to that when you turn eighteen, you would marry-"

"That's less than two years from now! That's- oh gawd… that's eighteen months from now…"

Marie was beside herself with hysteria. The chair fell with a loud clatter of noise as she stepped away from him. She put her hands to her temples in an act to try and calm herself down but nothing seemed to work. She couldn't, _wouldn't_ believe that she had less than two years before she was to be married off to a complete stranger. She felt as if the world was suddenly and ever so slowly pressing on her. Her heart raced as panicked sweat and anger flooded through her. She blinked countless tears away as she heaved heavy breaths of air. Panic and anger became completely entwined and before she could think rationally or stop herself, she was running. Marie pushed the office doors open, ignoring her father's worried call as she ran as fast as her feet could carry her. Somehow, though she barely comprehended the change of scenery, she made it to her motorcycle and was lifting her helmet onto her head not moments later. She pulled on her leather jacket as Pietro and Wanda's worried calls became less muffled in the far distance. Marie was outside the compound gates before Pietro even reached the garage.

_****_

_**REVIEW!**_

_**-gams**_


	4. Tragic Revelations

**Chapter Three – Tragic Revelations **__

The journey to the New York Slums was literally a mere flash of light. Thanks to the talents of a pair Acolyte-brothers who could teleport through light projections, Acolytes and refugees of the island could get to and from the mainland without so much as a blink of an eye. Gavin, one of _the_ _Light_ brothers, gave a concerned look at her tear stained face but gave her passage nonetheless. Marie wondered if he knew. If _everyone _knew. But she didn't dwindle on the thought as she felt the wheels of her motorcycle touch heavily onto solid ground again. She had never gotten used to travelling that way and preferred flying in the jet or the chopper to travelling by light projections. However, in the state she was in, she didn't want to ask her brother Kurt for a favour. There was no doubt in her mind that her younger brother knew of that too.

No sooner had she touched ground, the wheels turned at a screeching-fast pace and she was lost within the depths of the slums. Sunset was already approaching its end but she didn't care. The slums were precarious at night, especially for a lone mutant who didn't exactly have any powers to speak of. The thought crossed her mind and planted a seed of panic but she was quick to crush the thought and lose herself in the thrill of the drive once more. Life seemed endless and at the same time, unmoving with a motorcycle revving under her. The tears that had streamed like running water ceased and old tears dried as dusk turned quickly into night; time and scenery merged together. However, while the streets ran their maze and time dwindled with the come of nightfall, Marie felt her strength begin to slacken. Her arm muscles ached to rest as she held onto the handles in a sturdy grip and her legs ached to be straightened on solid ground. Even her eyes were aching with subdued tiredness. Marie had no choice but to heed her body's needs. She came to a careful, steady stop at the mouth of a wide quadrangle and pulled herself off the bike. Her legs wobbled on the spot as she clumsily stepped off the bike. A step or two later and she was suddenly merged to the ground with a painful thud.

That was all it took to set her off.

A rage-fuelled scream filtered the night air. The sound of panic-frenzied wings beating the air followed swiftly as the few scavenger birds in the area took flight. Marie's scream echoed across the court yard for a moment or two before the silence to charge again. Rage continued to pant through her chest in heavy breaths, new tears of hurt began to pool in her eyes. She blinked them back quickly in defiance. An angry groan escaped her lips as she clenched her teeth and wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt of self comfort. She leant against her motorcycle for support as muffled sobs racked through her body from the inside. It was in this state that Gus found her not ten minutes later.

Gus drove at a steady pace and parked some twenty feet away and dismounted it in a hurry. He let the machine fall on its side without so much as a second glance before jogging to her side, calling her name. Marie turned abruptly at his voice with a bewildered look. The expression didn't change even after he had enveloped her into his arms and kissed her forehead. He began murmuring relieved words of thanks and questions.

"God Marie, you can be pretty thick some tahmes. You know better than to come here at night! Jeez Marie! You scared me t' death you know?"

Marie felt herself grow numb as his words of concern and undoubted love washed over her. She didn't move, didn't dare wrap her arms around him, in fear that she might not be able to let go.

"What are you doing out here Marie?"

Gus pulled away to lock his eyes with hers for the first time. Marie found herself lost in those yellow embers as they glowed in the darkness around them. The tears she had been holding back began to tumble freely as she stared up at him. His brow furrowed with concern.

"What happened with your Dad?"

Gus had always had a way of working things out before she told him something important or troublesome. She just hoped he hadn't heard about the treaty agreement yet. No matter how much she wanted to curse them all for arranging it and not telling her about it all these years, she felt like she would rather die than have someone else tell Gus instead of her. He deserved much better than this. _So_ much better…

Marie's silence put Gus on edge as he tried to get some sort of response out of her that didn't involve tears and sad, wide emerald eyes. She took a shaky inhale of breath, her hands slipped to rest against his chest as she kept her gaze locked with his. Only then, after a few moments, did she speak.

"Gus…something…something's happened and ah…ah need ya t' hear it from meh before anyone else tells ya-"

Her words were suddenly cut short when a thunderous sound erupted from behind them. In the distance stood a hill-side of cluttered looking buildings that were practically skeletal and bare of life. One major road emerged from the centre and eventually connected with the mouth of the courtyard that they stood in. Panic and sudden fear overturned the fragile nature of the previous moment as a blinding white light began to trail down the hill along the main road like a pair of pupil-less eyes...or headlights. The thunderous sound of engines rolling followed it in perfect unison.

Marie felt an unsettling chill run down her spine as her recklessness caught up with her.

"Oh gawd…"

She should have been more cautious with the precariousness of nightfall. The light and the loudening sound of engines and wind whistling moved closer with every moment they lost in lingering there. Without another word, Gus pulled Marie towards her bike and mounted it. There was no time for him to make a run for his, so he jumped on first and yelled for Marie to get on behind him. He made sure that she put on her helmet while he went without, his helmet discarded with his motorcycle. The light and thunder-not sound was merely a few metres away when he jumpstarted the engine and hurriedly began to tread dirt behind them. The sirens that began to strangle their ears as they sped down the narrows of the slums were proof that they had delayed too long.

A troop of Apocalypse's soldiers was tailing them.

Marie held onto Gus for dear life as they turned sharply at every corner and tried not to get caught by the assault of laser blasts that shot at their heels. They were followed by three hover-crafts that saddled two soldiers on each machine. Each was sleek and narrow, perfect for constricted spaces like the streets of the New York slums. Had they had wheels instead, they might have been mistaken as black motorcycles with blinding white headlights and protruding laser blasters on each side. Gus yelled something over the frenzy of noise but Marie couldn't hear him. She yelled her misunderstanding but it was no use as the clutter of noise and her closed helmet muted her efforts. Gus kept them moving side to side to dodge each laser blast as they sped down the ever going maze of turns and bends in the road. Despite this however, the enemy was getting closer to closing the gap between them. Marie heard Gus yell again only to catch parts of it that made no sense. A moment later, Gus turned around swiftly and quickly took his left hand off the handle bar to release a pulse-charge of blue-tinted energy from his finger tips. The blast hit the first machine, causing it to suddenly shut down and fall nose-first into the road with a clutter of heavy metal and broken gravel. The second machine was caught in the fall, causing it to hit the road in a similar fashion. Marie turned back to check only to realise too late that they were not out of danger yet. The third hover craft had survived the collision and gained speed with each passing second but Gus wasn't aware of that yet. They began to slow down a small fraction but that was all that was needed. The enemy fired a round of laser blasts, two of which managed to puncture the back wheel of the bike. Marie had barely had the chance to warn Gus before they were abruptly lurched forward into the road with a sickening crunch. They turned on one side with a horrible crash and continued to skid across the road at a speedy, reckless pace. Marie felt her grasp slip from around Gus's waist…

The world twisted in darkness and silence for what felt like an age. However when Marie realised that there _was_ a world to acknowledge, the sound of fire crackling and the smell of burning rock and…_blood_ was the first things to engulf her senses. She jolted in panic but was not able to move as pain shot through her like a hot knife. Her eyes, so heavy and sore suddenly, struggled to open half way let alone all the way as she became aware of the pain that ruled her body. Though she ached all over it seemed there were certain pain points that stuck out more than others such as the pain on the side of her head. When she could open her eyes, she found her vision was blurred not by her own injury but by a thicket of smoke and ash that had polluted the air. Her throat began to throb with the urge to cough as she slowly began to push herself to a half-seated position. A horrible wince escaped her lips when she put weight on her left wrist, causing her to stop in her tracks and look over herself. Her wrist was dislocated, swelling by the moment and throbbing terribly. She touched the side of her head only to jolt it away with another wince on her lips. She was bleeding from the head too.

"_Damn it what truck ran over meh- Oh gawd..._"

It was then that a flood of memories began to assault her mind. Running away from Avalon. Driving to the New York Slums. Gus finding her. The Apoc squad chasing them… Her panicked thoughts turned silent as a realisation escaped her lips in a terrified whisper.

"Gus…"

Marie managed to pull herself to her feet with that encouragement despite the pattern of scrapes and dirt-caked cuts that ran from her right mid-calf and all the way up to her hip. She continued to wince as she managed to limp away from where she had landed. The smoke and ash in the air made her cough and distorted her vision but she continued onwards. When she found nothing after a few minutes an impatient sob escaped her lips and she stopped on the spot. In this moment of desperation and impatience was where she found a beckon of hope; the flare of flames. The fire was small, no larger than a standard camp fire but it was _something_. She made her way towards it with hope kindled in her eyes and the beginnings of a relieved smile across her dirt-smudged face.

That hope dwindled dangerously when the smoke began to clear.

"_Oh mah gawd…"  
_

Marie's limp turned to a hindered jog as the display appeared before her with the clearing of the smoke. Her motorcycle laid in broken portions of metal, engine parts and fire but the main portion of the engine, seat and skeleton lay crushed into a street wall…and a body lay buried beneath it.

"_Gus!"_

Marie stumbled to her knees as soon as she reached Gus's broken and half-buried body. Sobs and half-stuttered words escaped her lips as she tried to revive him. He stirred slightly but didn't wake. Tears mingled with dirt and sweat as she struggled to push the machine off him but to no triumph. The wreckage of the bike came up to his waist. His legs were broken, bleeding and from what she could tell, they twisted at sickeningly odd angles beneath the butchered metal skeleton of her bike. She felt bile rise at the back of her throat but she held down the nausea as she tried to use her injured left hand to aid the right to lift the wreckage off of him. As expected, her pained cry echoed through the smoke and walls as she jerked her damaged hand away. Sobs continued to wreck her to the core as she sat in defeat. However her defeat was short lived. Carefully, Marie tucked her feet under the seat of the bike and with a painful but determined yelp, she managed to lift and push the wreckage off of Gus's legs. It tumbled with a stomach-churning clutter against the ground but Marie didn't take notice. As soon as it was moved, she turned to Gus and cupped his face with her uninjured trembling hand.

"G-Gus-? Pl-please- please wake up! You- y-you're gonna beh- beh jus' fine. Jus' a c-couple of broken bones and cuts r-raght? Ah'll get help- We'll,"

She gulped back a sob and put on a trembling, feeble smile as she continued to stutter. Less for him, more for her it seemed to be. His once handsome and perfectly shaped face was distorted with cuts and bruises of all kinds. His body was mercilessly broken. Marie's hand trembled horribly as his blood stained her fingertips and she continued to mutter words of reassurance.

"We'll get ya h-home. Hank will get ya all- all sorted out. You'll- you'll see darlin'. You'll see…"

After what felt like an age of fear and panic, Gus's eyes opened half-way. His eyes however, were not the eyes she knew. They were dull, almost a light brown with the lack of their usual yellow glow. It unsettled her and made her shiver involuntarily as she continued to urge that all would be well. Though his eyes didn't quite carry their usual spark, Marie heaved a shaken sob of relief and whispered gently.

"Thank gawd, ya awake. You- you're gonna beh okay darlin'. Ah- ah'll try an' contact home jus'- jus' hang in there okay-"

"No Marie."

Marie had made to grasp her communicator device from her belt but stopped at his words in mid-action. She turned her anxious gaze to meet his eyes. A frown of confusion and concern spread across her face as she spoke up.

"W-what do ya mean? Ah have t' get help-"

She felt his warm hands envelope her good-hand in a gentle hold before he spoke. His voice was barely above a whisper. Somehow he managed to remain calm despite the pain that was evident across his face as he spoke.

"_You're_ gonna be okay. You're gonna get out of here and- and you're gonna call…You're family will come for you-"

Realisation set into her widened eyes as she gasped in retort.

"No _Gus-"_

"My body's broken, Marie. I can't feel my legs and…"

Marie felt her heart pound like a crazed animal against her chest as panic and fear began to twist her fragile state further into distortion. Cracked sobs racked through her body as she managed to stutter in sobbed-rasps.

"No- _no!_ Y_a- ya can't-_ Not lahke this! Not this way Gus, no…"

She could barely contain herself as she began to shake her head. She refused to accept this as his fate. He deserved so much better than this. He deserved to die ripe with age and experience, with a wife and a lifetime of love and happiness in his memories before the last moment. Not this. She leant closer to him so that they were face to face by mere inches. She grasped his now-unmoving hand in a firm hold and kissed it desperately as she continued to blubber her words between sobs and sniffles.

"Gus don't ya _dare_ le- leave meh here. Don't-"

"You'll be okay. Nothin' ever kept you d-down. You- you didn't let anything stop you. You're a _real Rogue_, Marie. Always were."

He forced a chuckle but it was barely the sound of a small cough. His smile didn't even pretend to meet his eyes as his marred face slackened. Tears spilled from her eyes like running water again as Marie continued to shake her head and sob that he was wrong.

"Ah'm- ah'm not gonna leave ya he- here! Ah- ah _can'te _leave ya here…"

He tried to smile again before he spoke. His voice was close to gone as the words rasped out of his mouth.

"Nothin' you can do now darlin'…time t' let…"

"_Freeze!_ Make no sudden movements or I _will_ shoot you're head off!"

Marie didn't even turn at the sudden, harsh-toned voice or the feel of metal against the top of her head. She just continued to watch as the dimmed light in Gus's eyes diminished completely and he took his last, silent breath of life. She felt the cold rim of the gun at her head nudge a little harder as the Apoc soldier, as her kind had so _fondly _dubbed them, barked at her to stand up and put her hands up where he could see them. Ignoring the soldier still, Marie blinked back new tears as she slowly turned her gaze away from Gus's lifeless face. Her eyes travelled over the scorched ground only to land upon a rod of broken piping.

"I said stand up and put your hands up where I can see them! I won't ask again!"

This time, Marie did as told but took caution as she silently picked up the pipe and slowly rose to her feet. Purposely, she faltered on the spot causing the soldier a moment of off-guardedness. She took the advantage of the moment and turned swiftly to slam the pipe into the soldier's jaw. He doubled back in pain but was still conscious as he cried out. She followed the first blow with a kick to the face that knocked him out cold on the ground.

Marie's laboured breathing echoed loudly, followed by the clutter of the metal pipe as it slipped from her fingers. A moment or two later, she knelt at Gus's side. Ever so gently, she shifted to sit behind his head and carefully adjusted him so that his head rested in her lap. Her trembling fingers smoothed over his prickly-blonde hair as she let a half-choked sigh escape her lips. Tears began their routine down her cheeks once more as she hunched over him and gave into her misery. A little while later, between sobs and tears, she managed to say one last thing.

"Ah'm not gonna leave you…."

****

**Okay I may not particularly like Gus either but I have to admit this is really sad for me to write. Getting a little teary eyed here!**

**REVIEW! **

**-Gams**


	5. Leave Out All the Rest

_**Thanks for all the reviews guys! **_

_**MINOR NOTE: um just in case, have a tissue box at the ready ;) **_

_**-Gams**_

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

**Chapter Four – Leave Out all the Rest **

_I Dreamed I Was Missing  
You Were So Scared  
But No One Would Listen  
Cause No One Else Cared  
_

The funeral service, like any, was a miserable affair. There were more than a fair dozen of people that shed tears and huddled together for comfort. The sky was clouded with angry rain clouds that poured down relentlessly in a classic funeral tune. The only difference from any other funeral was the lack of a minister present to give words of condolence and holy justification. Since Apocalypse took control of the Free world, religion had been outlawed and all human and mutant religious groups were _purged_ along with the majority of humanity. Their last minister, a Catholic mutant, had been lost some years ago. Thus, in a minister's place, Eric Lencherr took it upon himself to give the speech. As he stood before the beautifully crafted coffin, embellished with a bouquet of white lilies, he paid respects to their fallen team mate before they put him to rest. Most of the hundreds that had gathered from the base citadel listened to their leader's praises and kind words with silent mouths and watchful eyes. But there were a handful that turned away and hoped to shut their eyes and ears from the truth.

_After My Dreaming  
I Woke With This Fear  
What Am I Leaving  
When I'm Done Here  
_

Marie stood at the head of the crowd with her hands laced between her brother and sister. Wanda squeezed her hand every now and again while Kurt kept her other hand enveloped between both of his. Between his left index and his middle finger he held a crucifix on a beaded chain. Marie tried to keep her eyes on her father as he spoke but the gentle sway and chink of the beads and the little crucifix left her agitated and distracted. She stare at the little emblem of humanity with a fixed gaze. She had never been very religious but Kurt had always been intrigued and unofficially bound by religion. Even now he murmured a small prayer under his breath. Marie squeezed his hand thankfully. Though she didn't know if it would do much good to pray, she was thankful that Kurt had such faith. She wished she did. After Gus had died, Marie had spent at least an hour just sitting there with him. When the sobbing ceased, she had found herself still and silent. Tears leaked relentlessly but she did not make a sound. She didn't call Avalon for help but when two hours had passed, an Avalon chopper appeared with Kurt, Pietro and Kitty Pryde.

Kurt had had to pry her trembling hands from Gus's body. No one had asked her anything about the accident until they were safely home. She had been grateful for that small kindness but telling her father and family about the accident wasn't the hardest part. Telling Gus's Mother, Helen, _was _a hard feat. Hearing her father tell Gus's sister, Jane, was hard. Washing the blood, _his blood_ off her hands however had been the hardest of all. Wanda had had to help her when the trembling didn't stop. Afterwards, when her skin was pink and raw from the scrubbing, she had held her in her arms and let her cry until there were no more tears to shed.

_So If You're Asking Me  
I Want You To Know  
_

She had felt ashamed not being able to cry at the funeral. Practically everyone knew she and Gus had been together. Had been in love for a time. How would it look to those people if she didn't cry for her boyfriend? Thankfully, with the rain pouring down on them and the redness that still rimmed her eyes so apparently, no one was able to tell the difference. Crowds of hundreds stood amongst them with their heads bowed. Some had tears streaming down their faces while others just gave mournful looks and respectfully listened to the eulogy. Gus's family, Helen and Jane, stood a few people away from Marie. Both held each other close while silent tears streamed down their red-kissed cheeks and noses. Marie could not bear to look at them, not even from a distance.

_When My Time Comes  
Forget The Wrong That I've Done  
Help Me Leave Behind Some  
Reasons To Be Missed  
_

When the funeral came to an end, Marie heard Kurt whisper a quick prayer before sealing it with an 'amen.' Afterwards, he turned his yellow eyes to her and gave a sympathetic smile. She could barely will herself to return it but he didn't take offence. Kurt had always been good at that, not taking offence to the little things. He tucked her hand into his three-fingered hand as he wrapped his other arm around her. He whispered gently to her.

"Do you vant to leave?"

By then they were at least four feet away from the coffin. People who had stood around them remained in place as if waiting for _her_ to walk towards it first. When she didn't reply her brother's question, she found herself making her way to the coffin without Kurt. A dead silence engulfed her even though there was a murmur of whispers that erupted as soon as she made her way towards the coffin.

_And Don't Resent Me  
And When You're Feeling Empty  
Keep Me In Your Memory_

She stood before it with a passive expression for what was at least a minute but felt like a lifetime. Memories, both good and bad, began to flood her thoughts as she reached out to trail her index finger over the mahogany, polished case. The excess rain water trailed under her fingertip like a second skin as it glided over the surface.

_Leave Out All The Rest  
Leave Out All The Rest_

She thought of the day that Gus and his family had arrived at Avalon. She had been nine years old, her mother had just passed away and she was a devil of a child. Only Kurt seemed to be able to put up with her and he was a year younger than her. Gus had been a happy, enthusiastic ten year-old and stopped at nothing to make her smile. One day, a particularly hard day, he had jumped out from a closet and nearly scared her half to death. She had started off scolding him but her scolding had quickly turned to tears as the weight of the day crushed on her shoulders. She had missed her mother so tremendously that day but Gus hadn't known that. Gus had never looked so distressed and worried but he tried his best to cheer her up again and cease her tears. He did _eventually_, after at least fifty terrible jokes and a lot of grovelling. The memory somehow managed to make her smile on occasion that she thought of it. Now however, it just made it too painful to remember.

_Don't Be Afraid  
I've Taking My Beating  
I've Shared What I've Been  
_

"Marie?"

Marie turned abruptly to find that the crowd had nearly vanished but before her stood two figures. Helen, who had addressed her, was fighting back tears but somehow managed to put on a brave smile as she walked towards her and enveloped her into a tight hug. Marie felt herself stiffen and tried to relax in the woman's arms but it was a difficult feat to muster. She managed to wrap her arms around the stout woman's shoulders and hug her back, albeit stiffly. A moment or two later, after a lot of sniffling on Helen's part, they broke apart. Helen wiped away a couple of tears with a used tissue before she grasped Marie's shoulders in a firm but gentle hold. She managed a watery smile as she spoke.

"Oh my dear I hope you know how much my boy loved you. He did, to the very end I imagine."

She stroked Marie's arm in a comforting gesture as she continued with her teary speech.

"And I hope you know what a comfort it is to know that my boy died knowing you loved him so much too. You- you have no idea…"

The older woman's voice cracked under the emotional pressure. Marie, however tearless, remained silent but sympathetic. She could barely look the woman in the eye without a slice of guilt cutting at her heart. Who authorised such torture? Marie daftly wished that if there was a God, he would not put them through this. He would not make her feel _more_ responsible for Gus's death.

_I'm Strong On The Surface  
Not All The Way Through  
I've Never Been Perfect  
But Neither Have You  
_

When Helen could not say anymore, Jane stepped up to them and began to lead her mother away with an arm wrapped around her trembling shoulders. Marie watched with glossy eyes as they walked alway. The punishment was done. What now? A shaky exhale of air escaped her lips as she folded her arms across her chest. The aching that had appeared the moment Gus stopped breathing had worsened like an infection on an untreated wound. Helen's words of what would be condolence and motherly affection were the stinging salt put on the wound.

_So If You're Asking Me  
I Want You To Know  
_

The rain didn't stop. It drizzled noisily on the window panels in a constant tune that assumed the mood of the funeral march. The hours had rolled by slowly since the funeral the afternoon before. All missions and training had been called off for the day to give people time to mourn. The only Acolytes remaining at their posts were Pietro, Magneto and a handful of others that could or would not abandon their responsibilities. Those others, Marie imagined, continued their responsibilities because they found peace in being occupied, they could distract themselves from the tragedy of Gus's passing. However, she also imagined that some didn't know Gus all that well. What was the point in mourning for someone they did not know?

_When My Time Comes  
Forget The Wrong That Ive Done  
Help Me Leave Behind Some  
Reasons To Be Missed  
_

Pietro (and her Father) had refused to let her attend to her own responsibilities, much to her chagrin. Wanda had offered to let her help her tend to her daughter Maggie but Marie had declined. Though Maggie was only three years-old and did not quite understand their world, she didn't need to see her Aunt in such a state of misery. Marie feared it would only cause her niece unwanted worry, most of which she may not even understand. So with her family occupied and with nothing for her to do, Marie barricaded herself in the grand library of the citadel. Not too many people had the time or the interest in books or archives so it was therefore a perfect retreat for solitude. She didn't come out for supper that night.

_Don't Resent Me  
And When You're Feeling Empty  
Keep Me In Your Memory  
_

She had expected someone to open the door and ask her to come to supper at some point. However, instead of a knock at the door, she caught the smell of brimstone in the air followed by the smell of a mouth-watering meal that was _mysteriously_ placed on the coffee table beside her. She didn't touch it, though she appreciated her brother's stealthy attempt to get her to eat. She hadn't eaten in days now. He knew it, as did the rest of her family but they didn't push her. At least, they didn't after the first attempt _failed_. The tray of food went cold quickly, as did the mouth-watering smell that tormented her for a time. From outside the window she saw the lights in the windows disappear as people turned in for the night. The old relic of a clock struck a late hour but she didn't turn her gaze to check what time it was. Her gaze remained entirely on the fireplace as it sparked and crackled with the burning firewood.

_Leave Out All The Rest  
Leave Out All The Rest  
_

The fire was near death by the time sunrise approached. The rain had drizzled to a stop some hour ago when Marie woke from her short slumber. She had only slept an hour or two, leaving her still-healing body achy with exhaustion. Shadows and redness encircled her eyes as she stared blankly at the cold ashes in the fireplace. The room felt cold and lifeless without the drumming of rain on the windows or the crackle of the fireplace that had put her to sleep.

_Forgetting  
All The Hurt Inside  
You've Learned To Hide So Well  
_

Marie didn't hear the door slide open or the gentle click when it closed behind the figure that stepped into the room. His footsteps echoed liked whispers across the polished wooden floor until he came to stand at the back of the couch. Realisation dawned upon Marie when she felt a warm, large hand rest upon her shoulder. A deep sigh escaped her father's lips before he managed to speak. His voice was barely more than a whisper.

"Letting yourself suffer like this cannot change the past my dear. And you should not punish yourself for something that was never your fault."

_Pretending  
Someone Else Can Come And Save Me From Myself  
I Can't Be Who You Are  
_

She didn't answer but then again, Eric had only a slightest_ hope _that she might answer. She had not spoken in days. _Days. _The elderly Leader had never been more fearful for his daughter's life or sanity in years. When they brought her home that night, when they had rolled Augustus's body on a stretcher covered in a sheet, he had feared that it was _her _on the stretcher. Then Kurt appeared at the entrance with Marie in his arms. His heart had never wandered so close to a heart attack. Though she was bloodied up with a dislocated wrist, a mass of cuts and bruises and a blow to the head, she was _alive_. He had been thankful for that, lucky even. But _now_, now he was not so sure if she _was _alive.

_When My Time Comes  
Forget The Wrong That Ive Done  
Help Me Leave Behind Some  
Reasons To Be Missed  
_

With a defeated sigh, he squeezed her shoulder and made to leave the room. He was barely a step away from her when she spoke. Her voice was so raspy and unlike her own voice he nearly mistook it for someone else. Nevertheless, it stopped him in his tracks.

"It was mah fault."

He rested his hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture but it was a comfort _he_ needed.

"No, Marie. It was not-"

"If ah hadn't run away he wouldn't beh- he wouldn't beh…"

She could barely bring herself to say it. Her voice was cracking under the pressure of her emotions and lack of use but just _attempting_ to say what they both knew she meant was hard on its own. Though he could not see her face, he knew from the sniffle of a sigh that escaped her that she had finally willed herself to cry again. Her shoulders shuddered with a reckless sob.

_Don't Resent Me  
And When You're Feeling Empty  
Keep Me In Your Memory  
_

Eric had little he could say. In fact he believed that even if he found something to say to her, it wouldn't help. It wouldn't ease any pain she felt or save her tears. However, when he _did_ find something to say, he found the words escaping his lips no matter how hopeless his attempt might be.

"When…when your mother passed away, I felt like…like no one could quite understand what I was feeling. That no matter what anyone said it could not help take the pain away."

A deep, painful sigh escaped his lips before he continued.

"The pain doesn't end but…but you learn to live with it."

A grave silence passed between them. Neither spoke, neither moved until the silence came to an end. Ever so slowly, Marie turned her head to look up at him with those tragic emerald eyes. She did not realise how much it hurt to look at her in such a state. It tore her father's heart with a blunt knife when she spoke softly.

"And the memories? Did ya learn to live with them too?"

Eric nodded solemnly. Ever so gently, he raised a hand to tuck a strand of her white hair behind her right ear. He spoke as he did this.

"I found that as time passed, some memories, especially the pleasant ones, became stronger in my thoughts…but then I always have her in my thoughts."

_Leave Out All The Rest  
Leave Out All The Rest  
_

Marie gave a passive, silent nod as her gaze shifted back to the cold fireplace. Eric watched her with an apprehensive gaze but she did not turn to look at him again. Not even when he spoke up again.

"It is _alright_ to miss him Marie. You loved him, we all know that and you should not blame yourself for what happened. He would not have you do that to yourself."

When she did not reply or turn her head, Eric took defeat. With a silent sigh, he bent down and kissed the top of her head and ran a hand through her mess of auburn curls. He told her to get some rest and try to eat something, if not for herself then to ease her family's worries at the least. She gave a mute nod and he left the room.

_Forgetting  
All The Hurt Inside  
You've Learned To Hide So Well_

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_**Three weeks later…**_

"What is Marie doing down here? Didn't Quicksilver ban her from danger room sessions?"

"Dunno Dan but it looks like she's gonna join in anyway."

"Don't think so, look whose coming."

When Marie had appeared in the war room tower that overlooked the Danger Room, an eruption of whispering and gossip stirred amongst the group like bees in a hive_. _Marie had been rarely seen let alone heard since Gus's funeral. The last time she tried to participate in a training simulation, a screaming match had occurred between her and her brother and she hadn't been near the place since. Now, here she stood, garbed in her training uniform and a determined frown across her face. However, the group's attention was immediately averted when _another familiar figure_ stepped into the room. A growl-like grunt of acknowledgement escaped his lips as he stopped in front of Marie but he walked past her without a word. The majority of the group gave confused looked as they began whispering again amongst themselves. The Wolverine wasn't so lenient on them.

"Is this a training session or a game of Chinese whispers?"

His stern tone of voice implied the '_Get-your-asses-down-there-before-I-do-it'_ without having to actually say it. The group instantly went silent and were on their way down the elevator shaft before Logan could _begin_ to start counting (like he usually had to). However, there was one person that stayed behind. Marie was probably the _only_ person who dared to. She had started to follow the others but stopped mid-way from the elevator doors. Slowly, she turned to face her mentor.

A bemused expression spread across her frowning face as she spoke.

"Ya not gonna tell meh t' get out?"

Logan didn't turn away from the controls as he replied her.

"You want me t' tell you t' get out kid?"

Marie took the hint and soon joined the others below. Five minutes later, Logan explained the session over the intercom speaker and the Danger Room was suddenly a maze of docks and shipment crates. The group was told to break up into singles and scout the area for any Apoc soldiers. Marie, thankful that the session was to go solo, made her way cautiously around the maze of crates and rigging. When the training session came to an end not an hour later, there were only three trainees left including Marie. The rest had been captured and defeated by the simulation. Afterwards, as per usual, Logan gave the group a less-than-impressed lecture.

"Excludin' the three punks who actually _survived, protocol insists_ that rest of you won't be going anywhere _near_ _a real mission _until you can beat this sim. Frankly _I_ reckon a_ real mission_ might knock some kinda sense into some of you kids but lucky for you, that ain't my call to make. Until you get this sim right, _all of you_ will be spendin' your afternoons in here."

There was an overall eruption of protests and disheartened groans. Wolverine needed only raise a brow of warning before the group silenced and began to make their way towards the exit. Again, Marie was the last to leave but this time she was stopped by Logan. He rested a rough hand on her shoulder that stopped her in her steps and caused her to turn her head back. She was surprised to find that underneath the stern expression, his blue eyes spoke of fatherly concern. She actually hadn't seen this coming.

"You can avoid everyone as much as you like Stripes but you can't avoid _me _forever."

Marie let out a sigh that was both defeated and irritated as she turned around to face him. She folded her arms and cocked one hip to the side as she spoke coldly.

"Ah wasn't avoidin' ya."

He let out a gruff chuckle as he replied. A knowing, crooked smile spread across his face in an out of character manner. Frowners rarely gave such a smile.

"Sure, kid. Sure."

Marie scowled at him in a manner that would better fit _his_ face, causing him to chuckle again. After a moment or two of silence, Logan's smile disappeared and that stern frown returned as he spoke. A deep sigh escaped his lips as he rested a hand on her shoulder once more.

"I'm glad you showed up here Stripes."

Rogue blinked with surprise. A bemused frown marred her face as she spoke.

"What?"

"I said I'm _glad _you showed up-"

"Why?"

Her mentor let out another deep sigh. It was as if he was battling within himself to say the right thing. Marie had never seen him in such a state, not in all the ten years she had known him. He had been her defence teacher since she was thirteen and rarely had he shown any sign of unease or difficulty around her. She grew worried when he _did_.

"Sometimes you need t' _fight it out_ to deal with grief. I think it was about time you came here to do that. You _needed_ to fight it out, Stripes. You needed to."

It was like waking from a nightmare all over again. Marie felt it hard to breathe as she bit down on her lower lip and tried not to let out the sob that wracked through her body. A swell of new tears began to burn in her eyes, blurring her vision as she tried to hold herself together. Then all of a sudden, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her and hold her close into a hug she didn't even realise she had needed. She had thought she had gotten over it; over _him_. As her sobs became louder, Logan hushed her gently and told her it was okay, an action she thought Logan Howlett was too proud and _macho _to do. As her tears stained his uniform, she managed to sob out a couple of words.

"When- when does it stop? Ah- ah don't want t' think of it an-anymore, ah don't…"

He continued to pat her back as she cried. A saddened sigh escaped him as he replied.

"It doesn't stop, kiddo. But you'll be okay. You'll be okay…"

"_No ah won't."_

_Pretending  
Someone Else Can Come And Save Me From Myself  
I Can't Be Who You Are  
I Can't Be Who You Are_

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_**Yeah lots of crying and pain. –sigh- why do I write this! Oh cuz I love it and tragedy is my new muse. **_

_**REVIEW!**_

_**-Gams **_


	6. All Smiles

**Chapter Five – All Smiles**

_**A year later…**_

"Oh my _god! _I swear the next time your brother asks for volunteers for an inspection mission I'm _so not _going to put my hand up next time! That meeting took _forever! _And those French Acolyte guys? I want to like, _burn_ my clothes as soon as I get home! One of those creeps _pinched_ my butt! That slimy son of a…"

Marie rolled here eyes as a small chuckle escaped her lips. Trust Kitty Pryde to complain _a lot_. They had _just_ finished the yearly inspection of one of the branch Acolyte bases and (_surprise, surprise!_) as soon as they left the confines of Acolyte fortress walls, Kitty had unleashed a monster of complaints. Marie was just thankful that Kitty had enough decency to whisper so that their cover was not put at jeopardy.

"Are ya sayin' ya would rather beh stuck back home in one of Logan's trainin' sessions than here?"

Kitty gave a thoughtful expression that was a cross between unsure and irritated. A moment later, a defeated sigh escaped her lips.

"Okay, it _is_ kinda cool that we stay in Paris for a week _and _we don't have to do any serial-killer-training sessions with Logan but honestly, I don't see which is better! Having a couple of like, _total slime balls_ with sticky fingers groping my ass or getting my ass totally _kicked_ at training sessions? We don't exactly have great options here…"

Again, Marie rolled her eyes but a smile remained planted across her lips. Had someone seen her just six months ago, one wouldn't believe she had the strength let alone the will to smile. Listening to Kitty's complaining, though annoying at times, gave her a sense of _normalcy _that not too many people she knew could manage. Being a freedom fighter in a world that hunted them like animals tended to make _normalcy _a _rarity_ in their lives. Just walking down a street and chatting with a friend was like that; a rarity of their lives. However, Marie wasn't intent on spending the rest of the journey home with a whining _kitten, _especially with the plans she had in mind for the rest of the day. She cut Kitty off in mid-rant as she stopped them in the middle of the street.

"Ya can make ya way back t' the apartment on ya own raght?"

Kitty raised a sceptical brow.

"…I guess so. Why?"

Marie tucked a strand of her black wig behind her right ear. Seeing as they were wanted _criminals_ in the eyes of the Apoc authorities, keeping a low profile on the outside was essential. While she donned a black bob-cut wig, Kitty donned a cherry blonde wig that bounced on her shoulders in long curly ringlets. Both women could easily blend into the crowd.

"Wanda wants meh t' get her some…_things_ from this store…Eh for her and John-"

Lying to Kitty was usually an easy task but it wasn't something she was proud of. She wished that the younger girl would be more suspicious and less naïve at times but at the same time, she was glad she could get away with _some _things without Kitty sticking her nose into it. Her lie worked like a charm however as Marie had never seen Kitty Pryde raise her hands in self defence so quickly. She barely got the words '_adult store' _out of her mouth before Kitty raised her hands with a bewildered look across her face and began to talk over her. Wanda and her husband John were infamous if not famous for their over-zealous love life. Kitty was adamant not to know _anything_ about it_._

"_Oo-kay! _I'll leave you to it then! Uh…what time will you be back by?"

Marie sniggered amusedly. _Thank God for Wanda and John._

"Ah'll be back in about an hour or two. Can ya handle the fort while ah'm gone?"

Kitty rolled her eyes and huffed as if to say _'you're-joking-right?'_ Marie needed no further assurance and was soon on her way with Kitty none the wiser leaving in the opposite direction. When she was sure that Kitty was clear out of sigh, Marie dug into the pocket of her denim coat and pulled out a slip of ripped paper. With the directions scrawled across the paper as her guide, Marie made her way towards the centre of what was now called _Old Paris. _When Apocalypse had taken over Paris, half it had been left in rubble, ruins and ash. Thousands of humans had been slain and the remaining hundreds were either locked away or remained in hiding until they were found (by the enemy or by Avalon). Over the dead remains of the city, Apocalypse had built a new city that his mutant followers had turned into a city of all sorts of pleasures and horrors. Mutant crime gangs, old and new money and various high-ranking pawns of Apocalypse usedthe _New_ Paris as their playground. It was therefore the perfect place to set up an Acolyte Base; to keep a couple of ears to the walls and eyes on the corrupt and wealthy. However it was not in the interests of gaining information from the enemy (or adult toys from a love boutique) that Marie was journeying into the old part of the historic city.

The older half of the city had been ransacked and purged of the majority of its human occupants some decades ago. However there were a couple of hundred humans that remained. Though an unfortunate majority lived under slavery in the New Paris, a few fortunate humans lived under the employment and protection of mutant families, homes and businesses in Old Paris. Not all mutants took on heartlessness as their policy when concerning humans. Though Old Paris was outdated, technologically and aesthetically, compared to its new counterpart, it thrived on as a living example of how mutants and humans could live without fear or hatred between each other. Marie found it difficult not to smile as she walked into the heart of Old Paris. As she walked down a steep cobblestone street, a group of three small children rushed past her with a ball running ahead of them. Marie had to repress a small gasp from escaping her lips. One of the children, a small boy of maybe six or seven, was most obviously a mutant boy with is forest green skin. The others, a boy and a girl, were- from what she could determine, both human. They laughed and yelled gleefully without the slightest care in the world. A smile couldn't be helped at the sight.

"_Jus' makes the cause all the more worth it."_

Harmony between mutants and humans was merely one of Old Paris's obvious charms. As the children disappeared down the opposite street however, Marie turned back to the task at hand. She turned onto a narrow street and followed it until she came to a small opening at the other end that led to a small quadrangle. It was almost hidden thanks to the narrow street way but not impossible with the right directions. As Marie stepped into the quadrangle she quickly realised that it was not just a quad but a conjoining street market. The stalls practically burst with liveliness as street vendors offered her everything from Hermes scarves, to fresh watermelons, to black-market books that had long been banned by Apoc Laws. People of every shape and kind, mutant or human cluttered between the confines of buildings that stood on either side of the street. As the directions on the paper instructed, she followed the lively market where she was practically harassed by every stall owner within sight. However, it was when she was politely declining a woman trying to sell her tea leaves that she spotted her target. From behind a clothing stall stood a small shop that was practically squashed between a tea shop and a florist but managed to catch Marie's eye with its bright sign.

_Hair, Nail & Tattoo Parlour_

_Mutants and Humans welcome _

_Apoc soldiers not welcomed but tolerated_

A small chuckle escaped Marie's lips as she read the notice sign on the door. She wondered if any Apoc soldiers had reported them. But then again, she figured it wasn't exactly easy to find the place anyhow. _'Perhaps they know that no Apoc soldiers come down here?'_ She hoped, for the owner and employees sake, that they did.

As soon as she entered the parlour, Marie was assaulted by the smell of nail polish and the blaring sound of metal guitarist from a speaker. She didn't know which was worse. However, she wasn't given the chance to decide as a young woman with a sleeked-back Mohawk and an attitude to match it approached her from the front desk. Marie nearly gaped at the young woman. From head to toe there was not an inch or spot of skin that wasn't tattooed, pierced or covered in ripped leather and red and black stripes. The woman eyed her up and down with a suspicious brow raised and a hand on one hip before she spoke in a vicious tongue of French.

"_Comment est le temps cette fois-ci à Paris?" (How is the weather this time in Paris?)_

Marie replied coolly in perfect accuracy.

"_Le réchauffement de ce côté de la frontière."_ (Warmer on this side of the boarder)

The suspicious frown that had marred the woman's already sliced face diminished completely into what Marie guessed was a kind smile. A moment later, the woman was introducing herself in a spree of fluid French. Her name was Amelia. Marie wasn't given much of a chance to respond anything more than _'Oui mais-' _and that she wanted a tattoo job before Amelia was pushing her behind a blue curtain and into an entirely different room. Unlike the first room that was dimly lit with pale neon lights and furnished with ancient looking parlour chairs and cracked mirrors, the room behind the curtain was embellished to look its very best. Tattoo designs crawled across the white walls like vines while oval shaped mirrors lined each wall and every black leather parlour chair. About a dozen people were spread across the room. However, Marie wasn't given time to take in the scenery for long. Amelia, who hadn't let go of her arm since pushing her into the room, called over another woman from across the room. She was a petite woman with a head full of blonde ringlets that draped over her shoulders. Marie couldn't help but compare the two women as complete binary opposites. Compared to Amelia's shredded outfit with dog collars and dark makeup, the other woman was considerably tamed with her jeans and top. Even the trail of tattoos engulfed her left arm and the tattoo of a small frangipani resided on her left cheek was tamed in comparison. The two women gibbered off in French to one another for about five minutes before Amelia bid Marie a quick goodbye and disappeared behind the blue curtain once more. As soon as she was gone however, the other woman let out a delighted squeal of excitement and pulled Marie into an animated hug. Marie couldn't help but return it with equal merriment as she greeted her old friend.

"I am sorry if Amelia was a little intimidating Marie, but you know, with all the characters we _pick up_ you cannot be to careful _non_?"

Marie chuckled and nodded in agreement as they both took seats in a pair of parlour chairs.

"Don't sweat it Noelle darlin'. Soon as ah gave that password ya gave meh she was actually kinda sweet."

Noelle beamed a smile. After a moment's pause she reached out to grasp her friend's hand in a gentle squeeze.

"_So_…What can I do for you my girl? Obviously you do not need a new hair cut, since _you've_ already handled that I see?"

Noelle tugged on Marie's wig with a teasing smirk to which Marie swatted her hand away with knowing grin.

"Ah'll have ya know _this-"_

She tugged on a strand of black.

"-Ain't mah hair. Ah'm not that darin'."

Noelle raised a brow as she half-chuckled her response.

"Says the girl who has white streaks that she _claims_ _are_ _natural." _

Marie gave a mocking frown of insult, causing the older woman to laugh melodiously. When her frown disappeared, Marie let a small sigh escape her lips. Noelle Da Vern had lived at Avalon for a couple of years before venturing to Paris to take up a life of her own. Obviously, the pair had kept in contact since her departure but Marie did not have the time for an extended 'catch up.' Instead she went straight to business.

"Ah want ya t' do a tattoo for meh."

Noelle raised a sceptical brow at her before she replied.

"_Oh really?_ Well that is a surprise, I thought your father-"

"He doesn't need t' know."

Her feminine brow only rose higher at her words. Marie rolled her eyes at the reprimanding look before defending herself in retort.

"Ah'm _eighteen years-old_ Noelle. Ah think ah'm allowed t' do some things without mah father bein' the main spectator o' mah actions!"

To Marie's chagrin, Noelle gave an amused chuckle as she replied with a mock-taunting tone to her voice.

"_Ahh…_Your birthday was this week, that's right. _Joyeux Anniversaire ma chérie!"_

Marie rolled her eyes at her friend's _overdramatised _congrats but muttered a hollow _'Merci'_ that made her friend chuckle with amusement once more. When Noelle had had her fun, Marie unleashed her weapon of persuasion. She gave a pitiful, pleading look and made sure to add effect with a slight pout to her lips as she pleaded.

"Please Noelle? Ah'm probably not gonna get the chance t' do somethin' lahke this without someone followin' meh or worse, forbidding meh t' do it!"

Noelle rolled her eyes as a small sniff of disbelief escaped her. A sarcastic note appeared in her tone of voice as she replied.

"Marie _ma chére._ Getting married is not de end of y' life. Which reminds me, do I not get an invitation to this _merveilleux mariage?_" (Marvellous wedding?)

Marie was already pulling a cream-coloured envelope with a red wax seal from her coat by the time she was finished. Noelle took the invitation and pulled the card out before Marie could utter a single rebuke. Noelle skimmed the invitation with a half smile spread across her lips before she returned her gaze to her friend.

"Six months to go huh?"

Marie nodded mutely with a slightly grim expression across her face but was quick to dismiss the subject to return to the first.

"Please Noelle? Ah just want t' do _somethin'_ for mah birthday that doesn't have somethin' t' do with mah marriage. Do ya know what happened the day ah turned eighteen? _These-"_

She pointed towards the object that had practically burned in her pocket the entire journey.

"-were sent out to _all_ mah friends an' relatives! Ah haven't had a moment's peace without someone cogratulatin' meh on mah marriage all week! Ah want t' do somethin' for mah birthday that's for _meh_. Somethin' that _ah want_. Please?"

Noelle remained silent for a couple of more moments. Marie feared that a lecture was on its way. Though Noelle was only three years older than her, she had always had a tendency to _mother her_ when she _really didn't want it._ Finally however, Noelle let out a defeated sigh and a small smile crept across her lips as she replied.

"What did you have in mind?"

Marie hadn't smiled so brightly in years.

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An hour later, Marie emerged from the hidden street market with a gentle smile spread across her face. As she made the journey home, every once in a while she would raise her left hand and pull back her sleave and look at Noelle's handiwork. Noelle was not like most mutants, who were gifted with offensive or defensive mutations. Instead, she was gifted with the ability to manipulate colour pigments in the skin and therefore created harmless, painless tattoos with the touch of her finger. Marie had been very specific in her request but the real creation was entirely of Noelle's artistry. Wrapped around the flesh of her wrist and the top of her hand was a thorny, delicate wreath with a single, black rose that appeared some-time bloomed but not quite weltered. Six fallen petals surrounded the wreath while a small black rosebud peeked from the side of her wrist. Marie _loved it_ and didn't regret her decision in the least. However, Marie wasn't quite sure if Kitty could handle it as a secret. She wasn't planning on telling anyone anyway. (That is unless they found it themselves) She habitually tugged at the cuff of her glove to make sure it was hidden before she entered the apartment. However, her cautiousness was completely forgotten as soon as she entered the room.

It was like a bomb had gone off…and left a trail of clothes and shopping bags in its wake. Marie gaped for about ten full seconds before she could say anything remotely coherent.

"Kitty?"

As if on cue, Kitty came bursting out of her bedroom door. Her brown hair was a wet mess while a toothbrush protruded from her mouth. She also appeared to be half-dressed, sporting a pair of white and pink pink-stripe short-shorts and a black tube top that looked too fashionable for bed-wear. Upon spotting her, Kitty plucked her toothbrush from her mouth and smiled brightly as she exclaimed.

"_Finally_ you're back! I was beginning to worry!"

Obviously, from the energetic smile across her face, Kitty wasn't exactly _worried_ about her wellbeing. Marie raised a sceptical brow at her friend.

"Uh Kit? What's with all the clothes?"

Kitty eyed the room as if she had only _just_ realised what a mess she had left. She blushed slightly as she replied brightly.

"_Oh. _Sorry! I was just like, trying on some clothes for tonight. I never seem to pack enough…"

Marie gave a bemused expression.

"What's goin' on?"

Kitty gave a Cheshire-cat smile as she nodded and replied.

"It's like, our last day in Paris and I like, think we should, you know, paint the town red or something before we leave. Besides, you didn't get much of a birthday this year with the…well those invitations going out _so…_ this could be you're belated birthday celebration or something. Sound okay?"

For the third time that day, Marie truly smiled.

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_**Definitely happier than the last two chapters huh? REVIEW!**_

_**Next chapter REMY RETURNS!**_

_**-Gams**_


	7. First Encounters

_**Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews! Sorry for the slight delay!**_

_**-Gams **_

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**Chapter Six – First Encounters **

Marie couldn't help but sigh with content. _'Perfect.' _A small smile found its way to the left corner of her mouth as she inspected herself in the full length mirror. Though it wasn't especially _daring _compared to _other _outfits that women her age (and older) wore, it was _daring _for Marie. And she loved it. The plunging V-cut collar gave a little more cleavage than she had _ever_ let show while the navy silk felt like she was wearing, well…almost nothing really. But then the whole point of buying the shirt had been to be a little _bolder_ than her usual attire. Marie had bought the shirt on one of her sans-Kitty trips around the city had been positively dying for an opportunity to wear it before her chances were zeroed. Her father would _never_ approve of such clothing. Not when she was supposed to be an _exemplary Acolyte _and a _soon-to-be-married woman_. Marie had to roll her eyes at the very notion. _'Ah'm not married__** yet**__.'_ As she turned around to inspect the back, however, a sigh of annoyance escaped her lips. The cut of the shirt was low, leaving about three quarters of her pale back exposed while a set of black laces held the back together. The only problem with this was that the laces kept coming undone. Marie glared over her shoulder as she studied the low of her back in the mirror. _'That's it.'_ For anyone else, a bit of difficulty would have been in order especially since one had to look into a mirror to know whether their fingers were _tying_ the laces or simply tangling them together. For Marie, this was _optional_. With the raise of her hands, Marie began to pull and tie imaginary laces while she used the mirror for guidance. The laces began to move on their own accord and within two minutes, they were securely laced without much chance of coming loose without her approval.

With her shirt finished, Marie turned to the matter of her hair. Kitty had already found a place to start the night off. A place named _Wannabes. _Marie had been more than pleased when Kitty also mentioned that the place allowed both humans and mutants. Not only would there be no point in a full-scale disguise, she wouldn't have to disguise her hair with another hot and itchy _wig. _So with the aid of a little more telekinesis, Marie pinned back her auburn hair until it was fashioned into a low, loose bun of curls. Her white streaks were left alone to frame her face. She was finishing the last touches with a pair of dangly earrings when a nock came from the bedroom door. She called for Kitty to come in and not a moment later, Kitty's head poked _through_ the door.

"Are you ready to go?"

Marie nodded. She took care to hide her tattooed wrist as she replied from the vanity desk.

"Ah'll be two seconds. If ya not busy, can ya check the other rooms before we go?"

Marie watched from the mirror as Kitty gave a silent groan and rolled her eyes.

"And to think I sometimes wonder how it is you and Pietro are related_. You're_ _both security crazy!_"

Marie had to smirk at that.

"Can't be too careful Kit."

Kitty rolled her eyes a second time before she phased back through the door. Marie chuckled softly as she finished putting in the last earring. As one of the first priority rules dictated, Acolytes were taught to be mindful of their surroundings. Even a _safe house _could be bugged with enemy tracers or cameras. They really _had_ to be too careful. However, before Marie left the room, she didn't just check the security sensors. With the slight wave of her hand, one of the top draws to her closet opened and a pair of long, black, silken opera gloves drifted across the room. They slipped themselves up her outstretched arms, covering both her skin_ and_ her new trademark. Marie tugged lightly at the hem of her left glove as she opened the door to leave.

"_Can't be too careful."_

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_**Meanwhile…**_

The blaring music made the room pulsate with energy as people flooded the three levels of the building. Meanwhile, mutants and humans of every colour, size and gender mixed together and flooded the already-packed spaces. As people went about their own pleasures and enjoyments with talk, food, dance and raising their own bets on a winning (or losing) hand at cards, a small group filled out of the poker ring and into the lounge area on the grand balcony outside. Two young men led the small group, most of which were either scantily clad females or scantily clad, _mutant _females.

The dusk air was crisp and considerably cleaner compared to the noise and smoke-polluted rooms inside. However, that didn't stop either of the men from lighting up a cigarette as soon as they were outside. Both men seated themselves on a pair of plush, green sofas while the half a dozen women cluttered themselves amongst them. One of the men rested an elbow on his chair arm, and rested his head in his hand as he turned her gaze towards the dusk skyline. The red-tinted sky and the glare of the New Paris city lights reflected against his dark shades as he took a drag from the cancer-stick between his fingers. He exhaled the smoke as he addressed to his friend.

"Clear skies tonight _mon ami_. What was dat ol' sayin'? _Clear skies tonight, Shepard's delight?"_

The other young man gave a half chuckle as he flicked the end of his cigarette. He let out a lazy sigh before he spoke.

"I think it was _Red skies tonight, Shepard's delight _or something or rather…Why the sudden interest Gambit?"

_Gambit_ could only shrug wordlessly before taking another drag. A glowing ring of red encircled the end of the cigarette as he inhaled it slowly. A formless expression spread across his half-hidden face as he watched the ring of red fade. It was only when his friend spoke up and lightly kicked his knee that he noticed he was being spoken to.

"Oi Gambit!"

Gambit turned his head in one fluid motion to meet his friend's gaze. A moment later, the vague expression was gone and a bemused smile and an arched brow appeared.

"Qui?" (What?)

His friend gave him a wary look before he spoke a moment or two later.

"You're quiet. Not like_ you _to be quiet."

Gambit shrugged impassively as he took one last drag of his cigarette and leant forward towards the ash tray on the table between them. The last red ring died out as he squished it against the glass. When he was comfortably back in his previous position, he reverted to his unusual bout of silence. He received another wary look from his friend, causing him to chuckle with amusement.

"What? Is there a law against Gambit being quiet?"

"If there _were_ you'd be breaking it my friend."

Gambit chuckled and shook his head amusedly. His friend continued to push his point.

"You've got at least a couple of million Empires **(1)** in your pocket from a winning streak at poker, _five_ girls waiting and _willing _to jump in the sack and you're just sitting here, _watching the horizon _and acting all silent? _That's _not the Gambit I know."

Gambit, to prove irony right once more, grew silent again as he turned his gaze back to the horizon. His friend let out a sigh of irritation. When _that_ did nothing to gain his silent friend's attention, he gave Gambit's knee another kick only _harder_ this time. At the sudden pain that struck his knee, Gambit turned back towards his friend with a grunt of pain. Peter remained totally indifferent to the indignant glare Gambit shot towards him.

"Seriously, what's wrong with you?"

Gambit didn't know where to start. He had a lot on his mind these days. His father had been trying to contact him for six months. His brother checked on him _for_ his father whenever he _did_ manage to track him down, which wasn't often. He had spent the past year and a half painting practically every major city across the globe in red, leaving a trail of one night stands, underground clubs, poker games and successful heists. However, no matter how much he lost himself in his work, one night stands or simply following the road under his feet, he couldn't forget his responsibilities to the guild for long. He couldn't forget that his time as a single man was nearly up. That in six months he would be standing at the altar and binding himself heart and soul to a woman he didn't even know. As thoughts of what lay ahead of him began to build on his shoulders like chips, Gambit turned his gaze away from Peter, away from the horizon. He daftly landed on the view below where the entrance to the club and mounting line of hopefuls and intimidating bouncers. There was nothing especially interesting about the view, that is, until a pair of women walked into the neon lights.

A devilish smirk spread across his lips as he watched one of the women tuck back an unusual white lock of hair behind her ear. A moment later, she stepped out of sight and into the depths of the levels below.

"_Remy LeBeau_ are you _there_?"

He ignored Peter's harsh whisper of his _real name_ to gain his attention. Instead, Remy stood up and turned to the nearest blonde escort on the sofa beside him. He gave a practiced devilish grin as took her hand and he spoke.

"I t'ink it's about time we had dinner _non ma petite_?"

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The overall rush of the club atmosphere was _invigorating_. The smell of second hand smoke, alcohol, leather mixed with the variety of colognes and perfumes that hung from the bodies about the room. To Kitty, it was rather disgusting at first, causing her nose to wrinkle with revulsion. To Marie, her exhilaration to be out of uniform and out of the _undercover world_ outweighed the distaste that struck her first hand. As they made their way to the bar, the two were pushed and on occasion caught by the countless ravelling bodies that shifted around them. Like a turbulent sea in motion, people danced with the upbeat of the music (among _other_ things), laughed and chatted amongst themselves. Most seemed to move to their own tunes. When they finally _did _make it to the bar, both sat themselves down on the high metal stools and ordered some drinks. Though their classes chinked together in a toast, the actual 'chink' was lost to the commotion about the room. Kitty had to yell to be heard as she leant forward to whisper in her friend's ear.

"Here's to a belated 18th birthday and a last night out before the next chapter of your life!"

Marie smiled appreciatively before she took a long swing of her glass. The liquid slid down her throat like fire but the kind of fire you gloried with a good toast. The glass was drained empty by the time she set it back on the bench top.

"Kit ah have t' hand it to ya, though ah love ya dearly an' ah love ya idea about celebratin' tonight, ya have a shit taste in clubs."

Kitty, instead of being offended, joined her in laughter before finishing off the rest of her glass. It was true, the club was high-class with all the right features but for them, it was like stepping into the twilight zone; _surreal_ and a little tainted by the stench of second hand smoke. However, they were not about to let that ruin a perfectly potential night for a little fun and last-chance experience. Marie couldn't have agreed better when Kitty suggested they go find some guys to dance with. What did they honestly have to lose?

An hour later, after too many songs to count and at least a dozen or more men later, Marie and Kitty swam through the crowd towards the nearest empty wall space to catch their breaths. Both were giddy but more so from the dancing than any drinks. Kitty leant heavily against the wall with a hand over her belly, clutching a stitch. Having donned a sleek white mini-skirt dress to fit her pixie form, Kitty practically glowed a flushed pink in the florescent lighting as she yelled over the music.

"I am _starving!_ Is there a restaurant in this place?"

Marie wiped back a loose strand of white from her eyes as she replied loudly.

"Ah think so. How about ah meet ya there, ah have t' fahnd the ladies room!"

With a nod of approval and a 'be-careful' from Kitty, Marie began to weave in and out between people in the direction of the bathroom sign. Ten minutes later, having freshened up and re-tied her laces once more, Marie made her way towards the restaurant part of the room. The club was three stories in total, each level hosting various interests and themes. The dance floor laid on the bottom level as did a restaurant area that was raised slightly higher than the dance floor to separate the sections. A metal balcony separated the two sectors of the level. Marie was making her way across a pathway that stood along side the railing when she caught sight of Kitty already at a table…with a handsome, darkhaired man sitting across from her. Marie couldn't help but let out a huff of irritation as she came to a stop in her path. However, not a moment later, a small smile spread across her lips. Kitty was _obviously _enjoying the stranger's company.

"_Maybe ah'll give them a couple of hours…"_

With that decided, Marie made her way back towards the bar to settle herself with another drink and a seat. However, as she passed between the tables, she was stopped. Something or _someone_ rather caught her wrist and stopped her in her tracks. Marie assaulted her wrist-captor with a warning glare as she turned to face him, only to be caught off guard slightly. A lazy grin was spread across the young man's lips as he looked up at her from his languid position at a booth table. Rogue raised a sceptical brow at him when she noticed the buxom blonde woman that was tucked under his other arm. _Was he for real?_ The scene was completed with the Cajun drawl that practically melted the air as he spoke.

"_Excusez-moi chére_, could I get a class o' bourbon _et_ a cosmo for de _femme_? _Merci._"

Without so much as a care for her near-gaping expression of surprise and insult, the man had the nerve to slip a couple of Empire notes into her hand he was _still _holding_._ Rogue eyed him with raised, sceptical brow for a moment before she retorted coldly.

"Ah think ya got the wrong idea, ah'm not-"

"Get somet'ing f' y'self while y' at it _belle_." (My beautiful)

He slipped another twenty Empires in her hand before she could even finish her sentence. However, before she could shove it back or give him a piece of her mind, the blonde beside him snaked an arm around his neck and pulled him back to her. He responded accordingly by turning his head and attention back to the blonde, while also letting go of Marie's wrist. Marie let out an indignant sound. She watched as the man began to murmured French little nothings into the idiot's ear. The scantily-clad blonde giggled appreciatively and (no doubt) whispered possible little X-rated nothings into his ear as she began to nuzzle his neck like a pet cat. Marie wanted to barf at the sight. It was like she was in some perverted man's fantasies.

As the two continued their game of X-rated Chinese whispers, Marie slowly backed away in the direction of the bar. She considered handing the guy's money to the nearest waitress as a generous tip but her more sardonic side was the one to win her over. A small, devious smirk spread across her lips as she fingered the cash in her hands. As luck would have it, a waitress hoisting a pair of margarita glasses on a tray came into sight. Marie hailed her over and handed her the wade of cash before she could speak. As she briskly told her to get whoever ordered the drinks another round with the cash (and to use the change as a tip) she took each glass in one hand and walked away before the waitress could object. With her liquid ammunition in hand, Marie sashayed confidently back to the Cajun and the buxom blonde's table. They were still locked in a close embrace, whispering (and giggling) when she stopped in front of them and declared in an acid sweet tone.

"Ah'm sorry but they were all outta bourbon!"

Marie emptied the glasses on top of the man's head without so much as a moment's hesitance or warning. She had the great satisfaction of watching as the blonde drew back abruptly with a clichéd girlish shriek before a string of loud cussing escaped her unnatural looking lips. Marie had no doubt she was worried about her dress getting ruined as alcohol dribbled down the man's head and onto the seat. What was more satisfying was to watch as the man's expression turned from smug to gaping like codfish as he slowly turned to stare at her in silent shock. She actually wished the man wasn't wearing sunglasses so that she might see the look in his eyes. There was no doubt in her mind that the expression in his eyes would be just as amusing as his facial expression. A sardonic chuckle escaped her lips before Marie turned a smug smirk across her face. With that done, she turned on her heal and left without another word said. As she headed towards the dance floor, she happened upon the same waitress who, having seen what she had done, was trying not to break into a fit of giggles. Marie handed her the empty glasses and thanked her before she lost herself in the sea of bodies.

If she had cared to turn back, she might have seen the young man pull off his sunglasses and smirk deviously in her direction.

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_**Lol REVIEW PLEASE!**_

_**-Gams **_

_**(1) I don't honestly think that Apocalypse would keep to the money system of humanity. Don't you agree? Let's just say that 'empires' are the equivalent of 'dollars' annnd… I shall come up with something to be the equivalent of coin change later!! Any suggests are very much appreciated!**_


	8. Careless

_**Hey everyone! I had fun with the last chapter but ya'll will LOVE this chapter I'm thinking…**_

_**Oh and a minor note, Rogue's powers (yes! She has her powers!) aren't completely the same as they are in the original series. It'll all be explained later! **_

_**-Gams **_

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**Chapter Seven – Careless **

After an hour or so of just dancing and letting herself go with the beat of the music and the twist of her body, Marie slipped off the dance floor and headed for the ladies bathroom to cool off. The rush of the cool conditioned air was soothing as she slipped into the large, red-carpet room. Marie sat herself down on a plush seat as a content sigh escaped her. She pushed a few stray strands away from her eyes as a soft chuckle hummed through her. She hadn't had this much fun in months. It made it difficult to comprehend that she would be returning to mission work and training as soon as she got home the following day. A slightly disappointed sigh escaped her as she divulged further into what lay ahead.

"_A couple o' new missions, new recruits to break, mah wedding in six months tahme…"_

She couldn't believe it had been a year since she found out about her marriage or since…Her contented smile disappeared completely as her thoughts momentarily ran in _that direction._ A discontented sigh escaped her as she slowly began to unpin her already half-dishevelled hair. It tumbled down her back in curly waves as she slumped back into her chair.

'_What ah wouldn't give t' change the past…"_

Her moment of self-pity was cut short however when the door to the other-wise-empty powder room was flung open. Marie took a defensive, seated stance but was just as quick to relax when she realised who it was. She placed a teasing smile across her lips as she spoke.

"How was it with tall, dark and handsome?"

Kitty blushed pink and eyed the floor as she closed the door behind her. Marie grinned with amusement as her friend came to take the seat beside her. When she was recovered from her blush, Kitty gave a small apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry I, like, didn't call you. You weren't worried were you?"

Marie shook her head as she replied almost teasingly.

"It's fahne Kit. Ah saw ya pratically eyin' that man lahke candy in a store so ah went dancin'."

Kitty looked between mortified and ready to burst like a _pink_ gum bubble. Marie couldn't help but chuckle amusedly at her friend's pink-stained face. However, when an apologetic and almost guilty expression spread across Kitty's face again, Marie became concerned and serious.

"What's the matter Kit?"

Kitty bit down nervously on her lower lip. She brushed a lock of her pixie-cut hair out of her eyes in a nervous gesture before she spoke.

"Well…I kinda…have a _date_ waiting for me outside. Would you…_mind_ if I went off with him for tonight?"

At Marie's raised-brow and wary expression however, Kitty began to back out of the idea as quickly as the words could slip out of her lips.

"But like, if you're not okay with it, that's like totally understandable! I mean,-"

Marie tried to interrupt her.

"Kit-"

"I like, totally promised you a night out for your birthday and I've like, totally ruined it and-"

"Kitty it's fahne, ah'm-"

"I'll go tell him I like, can't go. It's fine, we'll go and like, um…we'll get a cake! Do you want a birthday cake? You, like, can't have a birthday without a cake-"

"Katherine Pryde will ya calm down already!"

Kitty's nervous rant came to an abrupt stop at her friend's raised tone of voice. She gave a nervous smile and blushed again before she uttered a quiet apology under her breath. Marie just rolled her eyes and shook her head with an amused expression. When she was quiet, Marie took her friend's hand and spoke.

"Look, it's _okay_. Ah don't mind ya ditchin' meh. Ah was about t' call ya an' tell ya ah was goin' home anyhow. So go."

Kitty gave another wary _'are-you-sure?'_ look but Marie insisted. A thousand-watt smile was quick to spread across the younger woman's face before she quickly hugged her friend and practically dove for the door. She thanked her at least ten times over before she even opened the door. Marie told her to get lost in a playful tone, to which Kitty only grinned harder and thanked her again. She told her to keep safe and call her when she got back to the apartment before she disappeared behind the door in a white blur. Ten minutes later, after freshening up as best she could, Marie emerged from the ladies room. However, she was not three steps out the door when she felt an odd twinge run down her spine. As if something was amiss. Oddly enough however, there was nothing in her vision of her surroundings that suggested it. Like an invisible poltergeist, the odd feeling of being watched clung to her and made the hairs on the back on her neck stand on end but with nothing to point out the oddity, Marie dismissed the feeling. Instead, she made her way towards the nearest exit. She didn't have the patience for unknown poltergeists.

After reacquiring her coat, Marie stepped out into cold night air. She had forgotten how cold the nights got in Paris, what with the heat practically radiating from the walls in the club. The chilled air was soothing as it was unsettling. Marie pulled her coat collar a little tighter in an attempt to wade off the cold. Despite the warmth of her woollen-lined coat however, she felt herself shiver as she began to walk into the lamp-lit streets. The Old Paris streets were unkind at night, especially this close to the border between Old and New Paris. _Wannabes_ was like a transitional plane between the two sides. While the tall, sleek sky scrapers of New Paris towered over the roof top in the distance, Old Paris' limestone buildings stood at the club's sides and paved the street. Marie was mindful of her surroundings as she crossed the shadow-clad streets. Unlike the daylight hours where the hustle and bustle of the crowds could just about nock you over, the night hours were silent and still but just as capable of nocking you over. The only difference being that you might not get up _again_. Her two-inch heals clicked mercilessly against the cobblestone pavement as she walked at a brisk, casual pace. She silently cursed herself for wearing them. _'Some much for bein' careful-'_ Her thoughts were suddenly cut short when the muffled echo of voices caught her ears.

Across the other side of the road, not even a block away, a band of shadows emerged from the connecting street. The shadows turned to half-formed men in the lamplight and the tell-tale uniforms that clad their figures. Marie cursed her luck as it ran dry before her eyes. _'Jus' what ah need, a couple o' Apoc soldiers in the wrong part o' the neighbourhood!' _From the leisurely place and slight swagger in a few of the soldier's steps, Marie was sure that they were either drunk or getting there. If their posture- or lack there of, didn't suggest it, the muffled barks of laughter and chatter were but an obvious indicator. What's more, they were heading in the direction she was coming from. Marie had only just decided to turn around when the worst happened.

One of them spotted her.

A loud, long whistle escaped the man's pursed lips before he called out in French. His voice slurred drunkenly as he cat-called her.

_**(A/N: Not gonna bother translating to French!)**_

"Well, well look at what we have here! New Meat!"

As soon as she was spotted, the rest of the drunken band stopped and followed in suit. Marie heaved a gruff, irritable sigh as she turned around and _tried_ to ignore their cat-calls and taunting laughter. A round of mock-disappointment erupted from the group as she turned her back on them. She began to re-trace her steps as another called out to her.

"_Aw_ come on sweetheart! There's no need to be shy! Come back!"

"Did you get a look at that ass? I could think of a few things…"

Marie let another indignant sigh escape her as one of them began to _loudly_ dictate to one of his comrades about _what he'd like to do with her ass_. They continued to cat-call and laugh at her from behind. However, their _teasing remarks _were quick to become less _subtle_. What was worse was that as they continued to follow her, the distance between them shortened. Marie felt their stares practically burn the back of her head (among other parts of her body) as she continued to walk as calmly and quickly as possible. However, not three steps after turning at the bend of the road and disappearing from the drunken soldier's sight, a new threat made itself known. A pair of strong arm wrapped around her waist and arms and pulled her away from the street and into the mouth of an alley. She wasn't given the chance to scream let alone fight back as a hand suddenly wrapped around her mouth. Marie felt her heart rate skip a beat as she was pulled against the warmth of another body. Though strong, the figure's hold was not painful nor was it aggressive. It was firm and useless to fight against but that did not stop her from struggling. The only time she did cease her struggles was when she felt the warmth of her captor's breath wash over the back of her neck. A strange shiver ran down her spine as she stiffened, the hairs at the back of her neck practically standing on end. In a matter of short moments, thoughts of rapists or kidnappers and other creatures of darkness invaded her thoughts but she dared not scream. A moment later however, a husky voice no louder than the hiss of a gentle wind whispered directly into her ear. It was like melted, golden honey and it caused a flush of warmth to spread across her flesh.

"_Shh. _Be quiet or dey will hear y'."

As soon as the words were out, they were shortly followed by the soldier's voices and footsteps. They became louder and closer with each panicked breath she took. The figure carefully pulled them deeper into the thicket of darkness the alley provided as the soldiers passed the small mouth of alley way. Marie heard a couple of them grumble and ask where she had gone but they did not linger for long. Their voices became more muffled and less comprehendible as they walked away. As soon as they were no longer in listening distance, Marie felt the figure's hold loosen around her. Though it took her a little longer to do it than she would've liked, she ripped herself from the figure's slack hold and out of the alley way. She took a wary defensive stance as she turned to confront the faceless shadow.

"What the hell do ya think ya were doin' sneakin' up on meh lahke that…?"

Her words ran dry, as did her defensive tone as the figure stepped casually into the light of the nearby street lamp. Her mouth hung open in surprise for a good three seconds before she returned to a sceptical frown and growled.

"_You_-?"

He grinned unabashedly at her lack for better words. Marie could barely believe her eyes. The man she tipped the margaritas on. The invisible poltergeist she felt following her. The man who pulled her out from under the wandering eyes of those precarious soldiers; they were all the same. She could hardly believe how bad her luck had turned…so to speak. She narrowed her gaze suspiciously as the initial shock began to wane.

"What the hell are_ ya_ doin' here?"

The grin across his perfectly chiselled face broadened as he took a step closer to her. Marie instinctively took a step back at his advance. He wasn't in the least bit discouraged when he spoke. An appeal of smugness was obvious across his stance as he spoke.

"In case y' didn't notice _ma belle_. Gambit jus' helped y' avoid a group o' _désagréable et Apoc soldats." _(my beauty, unpleasant Apco soldiers)

Marie continued to glare up at him as he came to stand a mere half a step away from her. He was a good head and a bit taller than her, lean but obviously well built. She took a moment to eye him over with suspicion. His features were mostly confined behind a brown trench coat. Marie found herself daftly wondering where she had seen such a coat before but she was quick to forget the matter. She replaced the sceptical look across her face as she answered coldly and crossed her arms defiantly across her chest.

"Ah didn't need ya help."

He continued to smirk much to her chagrin as he replied coolly.

"A small t'anks would suffice f' Gambit's services_ mon chére_. _Mais_, if y' have anyt'ing else in mind, den he be open t' other suggestions."

Marie didn't like the way his smile broadened across his face or the tone he used when he spoke. But against her better judgement, Marie felt that same warm flush wash over her skin. His honey-coated voice was thick with a Cajun drawl that she hadn't heard in such an age it was like entering the twilight zone. On the other hand, his words were curved and implied more than just a _couple of ideas_ that he was open to. Fortunately, she was not so _open minded_ as he obviously was. She could practically _feel_ his eyes rake down her body despite the fact he was still wearing those insufferable shades. _'Who he hell wears sunglasses at naght?' _ She rolled her eyes indignantly. She wasn't about to stick around to find out. She replied coldly as she turned on her heal.

"Then ah _suggest_ ya go back t' whatever Swamp ya crawled out of Cajun-"

She had barely managed one step when she once again felt one of his hands wrap around her wrist. He tugged on her wrist lightly but it was enough to get her to stop and face him. Only then did he reply.

"In dat case _mon petit rat rivière_, a _real t'ank you _is necessary." (My little river rat)

Marie gave him a sceptical frown as he continued to grin like the cat that got the cream. A moment later, she gave a defeated (yet resentful) sigh and replied curtly.

"_Thankyou_. Now will ya let go of mah hand-"

His husky, warm chuckle cut her off as did the full smile that formed across his face. He raised a brow at her as he replied playfully.

"Surely y' can do better den dat _chére_?"

Marie glared at him. Her patience was already waning.

"Ah hardly think any elaborate _thankyou_ is necessary."

He looked confused for a moment but realisation was quick to catch him before the expression became permanent across his face. His now-infamous smirk spread across his lips as he ran a hand through his ear-length hair. A slight, embarrassed chuckle tainted his words as he replied.

"_Ah…d'accord._ De bourbon et cosmo. Well if y' want t' apologise f' dat, den by all means _chére_-"

He barely finished his words before Marie was walking down the street at a brisk, angry pace. A look of slight bemusement spread across his face as he glanced at his hand. He had been _sure _he had been holding her wrist but he hadn't even _felt_ her pull away. He didn't linger on the thought however as he realised she was already at the end of the street. Remy broke into a light, quick jog as he made to catch up to her. He called out to her when he was about four metres away.

"Wait _mon chére!_ Gambit was only joking-!"

"Jus' leave meh alone Cajun!"

He was surprised by the annoyance that thundered through her voice. Nevertheless, it didn't stop him from following her as she continued to keep her back turned. He was three metres away from her when he spoke next.

"Look, Gambit is sorry he treated y' like dat back at de club. He deserved what y' did _et _it was stupid of him t' joke like dat-"

"Ah don't care if _Gambit_ is sorry! Jus' leave meh alone-"

She barely managed to finish her sentence before she felt him grasp her upper arm in a firm grip. However, she didn't give him the chance to turn her around much less talk to her again. Without another moment's hesitant, Marie raised her other hand and with a forceful, telekinetic push, Gambit was sprawled up against the wall and frozen in place. She kept her hand raised in mid-air as she glared up at his stunned face. A frustrated growl tainted her words as she spoke.

"_This _is as far as ya go with meh."

Remy found himself silent and stunned. To say the least, he had been caught by surprise when she turned on him with her powers but it was the look that blazed in her eyes as she spoke that left him speechless. He had never seen her so clearly before now. Her eyes were unlike any he had ever seen. They were better compared to emeralds than to any other shade of green. While bright and wide, they burned with such a passion he was sure he saw sparks. However, before he could read any further into the depths of those pools of green, she turned her back on him and stalked away. He called for her to wait but she didn't even turn back to look at him. He would have run after her had her powers not _literally_ kept him pinned to the wall.

"_Well dis is jus' fantastique…"_ (fantastic)

An aggravated sigh had barely escaped him before he felt the force that bound him to the wall crumble and disappear. A moment later, his body began to fall. Being a master in agility however, he managed to balance the fall and landed in a graceful crouch on his feet. He walked a few metres in the direction she had disappeared in but his attempts were futile in finding her again. Another sigh escaped him as he flopped casually against a nearby wall.

"_Dat went well…"_

He rolled his eyes at his own words. He hadn't had any intention on making her mad or to make her storm off. _"Quite de opposite…" _But he had to admit to himself that he found her anger quite attractive. Her eyes became alive and blazed with an emerald flame that aroused more than just attraction within him. As he rolled back the last ten minutes in his thoughts, he absentmindedly pulled out a cigarette and put it between his lips. Without the need of a lighter or match, he pinched the tip of the cigarette between his fingers and the cancer-stick instantly came alive. He took a long drag and exhaled the warm air into the cold that loomed around him. His hidden gaze drifted over the blackened scenery at a languid rate. As he did so, he noticed the shadows began to shift in the distance. A sceptical frown spread across his features as the familiar figures gathered together before following the same road. The same road his emerald-eyed _River Rat_ had followed.

His cigarette fell to the floor carelessly as he followed them at a stealthy, quick pace.

He didn't have to be an Empath to realise what those soldiers had in mind for the Mississippi spit fire he had so carelessly let go.

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_**Dun-dun-dun…. lol. REVIEW!**_

_**A minor note, University has started again for me so its back to the rare updates! Sorry guys! I'm not happy about it!**_

_**-Gams **_


	9. Her DemonEyed Knight

_**Hey everyone! Thanks for all the awesome reviews! **_

_**WARNING: Just to let you know, this might get a little uncomfortable for some readers as there is some hinting to (almost) rape. I'm not particularly comfortable with writing things like that so details will minimum. **_

_**-Gams**_

_****_

**Chapter Eight – Her Demon-eyed Knight**__

"_That egotistical, perverted, smooth talkin' __**Swamp Rat!**__"_

Marie kicked the pavement in outrage as anger fuelled her brisk steps down the street. In all her life she had never met anyone so full of himself _or_ with such an uncanny ability of turning up when least expected or_ wanted_. To say the least, it didn't help that she sort of owed him for his assistance. Not that she was likely to let him have any kind of gratitude _now._ She uttered a growl of frustration from between her clenched teeth.

"_Ah'm not seein' that man again even if ah owed him mah life!"_

Her steps continued to click and echo through the hollow streets, the fact that she was alone and practically in darkness failed to faze her as she became lost in her own thoughts of the Cajun man. Despite wearing silk gloves, her hands dug deep into her coat pockets as she tried not to shiver. Her face contorted into a thoughtful frown. _"Why the hell did he call meh a river rat?"_ She hardly believed it had anything to do with her Mississippi roots. She hadn't been there since she was a small child and though her accent hadn't completely unstuck, it was tainted and strained from being around so many Northern accents. _"But ah did figure he was a Cajun…"_

She shrugged off the matter as her shoulders slumped in defeat. A cleansing sigh escaped her lips as she felt the last of her anger flee her.

"_Don't matter now. He's long gone…"_

It was at that moment that Marie became _very _aware of her surroundings. The sound of footsteps against cobblestone road ricocheted in loud echoes, growing louder with each step. A roll of masculine laughter and a murmur of voices followed, causing a chill to run down her spine like ice water. Marie turned around abruptly only to find three silhouettes standing at the mouth of the street. The street light's shallow gaze outlined them in shadows, all except for the wicked smiles and toothy grins across their faces were left in darkness. Marie ignored their cat-calls and jeers as she turned back and continued down the dark-lit street.

"_Come on petite belle! (Little beauty) Don't be shy!" _

"Don't make us beg love! Come back and show us a good time, no?"

"_Is she playing hard to get?" _

She heard one chuckle deviously, causing a horrible chill to run down her skin.

"_They all play hard to get!"_

"_I'll tell you what's hard right now…"_

His fellows chuckled in unison as they continued to pursue and cat-call. Marie welcomed the turn at the end of the road, as it gave her just a little more space between herself and these perverse dogs. Marie stepped into the shadows of the conjoining road and out of the sight of the three soldiers.

Or so she had hoped.

As she came to the mouth of the next road, she followed the street light at the end of the road like a beckon. However she was not four steps out of the street when she came to a terrible realisation.

There were more than three soldiers the last time they followed her.

The missing links to the equation were quick to rejoin their comrades however as the second realisation practically gutted her on the spot. Instead of coming to another street to follow, she found herself in a rounded courtyard, complete with a disused stone fountain in its centre. Two streets connected onto the courtyard before her and at the end of each street appeared eight more soldiers. Their devious chuckles, jeering and cat-call whistles echoed across the courtyard and hit her as she felt the three behind her close the gap between them. The mixture of voices was muffled into the background when one of the wolf-pack came to stand out amongst the crowd. There was no doubt of the man's intentions as he eyed her from top to bottom, the action of his eyes sent tremors down her spine and caused bile at the back of her throat. She was like a lamb encircled by a pack of ravenous wolves.

"What's a pretty little thing like you doing around these parts at such a late hour?_ Hmm?_"

As the man spoke, he reached out to touch a loose lock of white that fell against her cheek. Marie took a step back, allowing his hand to catch nothing but air. She held back the fear and disgust that threatened to take hold behind an unfailing scowl. She felt the pack shift to a closed ring around her as she balled her fists at her sides in defence.

"Let meh pass."

A few of them chuckled at her amusedly but the chuckles turned to murmurs as the ring leader of the troop took a step closer. Though she couldn't quite see him in the dim lighting, that lustful glint in his eyes and the crook of a smile on his strong jaw were the most prominent features she _could_ see. Marie wanted to shudder with disgust as his clear blue eyes continued to trail unabashedly down her figure. His actions and expressions worded his obvious trail of thoughts; Marie had the sickening feeling that he wasn't the only one before her that had such vile intentions. Nevertheless, she remained completely cool and firm as she replied.

"Ah'm _not_ interested, so jus' let meh pass an' ah won't-"

"Oh but _we are_ _mon belle renarde! (My beautiful vixen)_

A murmur of agreement passed amongst the group as they closed another foot of space between them and their new prey. Marie watched from the corner of her eye and nearly grimaced with revulsion as one of them nonchalantly undid his belt buckle in what she could only guess was in _preparation_. The man before her let out a low chuckle and without caution reached out and stroked her cheek with a rough finger.

"You see _mademoiselle,_ my comrades and I are in a bit of a _difficulty_,"

Marie defiantly turned her head out of his touch once more, causing a few of his friends to chuckle and jeer. _He_ on the other hand, only appeared a little more eager by her actions. Though she did not show it, that look coursed a pang of fear within her. She had never feared a fight, never stood down against a danger she could not control but this was a new kind of danger that no training session had prepared her for. She hoped she didn't have to stick around long enough to get a lesson.

"We have had a long, hard week and are in need of…_something_ to ease our weary bodies and take the week's hardships off our shoulders so to speak-"

"_Among other things!"_

An outcry of laughter and agreement erupted amongst the circle as Marie took another step back that left her centred in the fortress. The leader moved closer with a devious expression across his features as she took a defensive stance and raised her clenched fists before her. Her voice was cold as it was venomous as she growled back.

"Lahke ah said b'fore, ah'm not interested."

The man gave a deep chortle of laughter as he raised what was left of a beer bottle to his lips and drank. He drained it and tossed it carelessly to the floor. Its shattering sound was muffled by his own voice as he spoke darkly. The charm that would have otherwise tainted his words was nowhere to be found as he spoke.

"Who said _you _had to be interested_ beautiful_?"

A round of laughter and amused chortles erupted once more as Marie narrowed her gaze at the vile man before her. She clenched her teeth and continued to scowl as she retorted coldly.

"Ah'm not that easy _monsieur._"

The man bent his head back and barked a laugh as response. When his laughter subsided, he spoke up once more.

"Always did like a woman with spunk. This shall be interesting. What do you say boys? Think this one will be a screamer?"

Marie didn't bother to listen to their outcries of agreement. Not a moment later her right fist met the man's jaw and sent him fly backwards. He stumbled back in surprise but quickly regained whatever consciousness he had and reached out with a vicious hand. His hand locked onto her elbow in an iron hold of which he used to force her backwards and into the waiting hands of his eager comrades. Marie was expecting such a move, seeing as there were so many of them. She countered their advances with a simple wave of her left hand, causing the majority of them to be telekinetically pushed some ten feet away. They landed against the ground in painful heaps but were considerably quick to regain their footing. With the circle broken, Marie made a run for the gap but was caught not one step into her attempt as a pair of new hands that grasped her wrists and pulled her back. The two men, whom were only vaguely affected by her counterattack, held each of her arms like shackles. Marie made an artful bow and used their own forces against them as she tucked her arms in, causing them to knock head-first into each other. Being that they were both particularly drunk, Marie was about to use their momentary disorientation to slip her arms from their grasp. A moment later, she raised both hands to the air and an eruption of deadly orange flames coursed from the palms of her hands, rendering the hands of her gloves to ash and ruin. The two soldiers lay half-charred against the pavement as Marie turned to unleash a telekinetic force at another soldier that charged at her. One of the soldiers brandished blades for fingers and aimed to gut her but was quickly ground-ridden as she sent another TK force that rooted him on the spot. She grinned deviously as she watched the pack begin to pick themselves up like whipped dogs.

"Well _this_ isinterestin'! Ya'll are the one's screamin'!"

Marie did not gloat for long as another soldier, a man made completely of rock, came storming towards her like Goliath the Giant. As she charred his rocky exterior with another set of flaming tongues from her hands, one of the men approached her carefully from behind. Seeing as it was a case of eleven against one, Marie had no guarantee of being able to watch her own back. This was the course of her undoing as the gaunt looking young man grinned devilishly and struck a hand against her back. The attack was instantaneous. In a matter of milliseconds, a blue spark erupted from his palm and coursed through Marie's body in an excruciating electrical pulse. Her pained screech ricocheted across the courtyard as she fell to her knees. It was like a million punches being showered over her body, leaving her numb and disoriented as she slipped to the floor in a heap. Her vision became fuzzy and undistinguishable; leaving her more vulnerable to them. Though her senses were numbed, she managed to register it as they pushed her onto her back. Her head hit the pavement followed by an endless darkness that engulfed her vision. Her ears were left prey to an eruption of angry jeers and evil chortles that filled the air. She could barely move let alone jolt as she felt a pair of rough hands rip her coat open. The sound of her coat buttons scattering over the courtyard erupted as she felt something heavy practically crush her hips against the pavement. She didn't have to feel a rush of panic and fear to know that it was one of the men straddling her. She felt those same rough hands roam greedily as the leader's hot, putrid breath sent numbing goose-bumps down her skin. He spoke closely into her right ear.

"This won't be pleasant, _beautiful_. Maybe next time you defy a Soldier of Apocalypse, you'll do as told. Save yourself some unwanted pain, no?"

Marie felt cold sweat drench her forehead as the fear and panic within her gutted her. She wanted to fight back, to pull away from the bastard's grasp but her body was numb and useless; practically paralysed. However, no matter how motionless her body was, her insides squirmed with revulsion and protest as she felt him begin to pull up her shirt- but then... he stopped.

A sudden outbreak of small explosions lit the darkness in a magenta-pink glow followed by the outcries of panic and pain from the remaining soldiers. Though Marie could barely see anything with her blurred vision nor react without pain clotting her actions, she could make out the lights as they flashed above her like a sky of magenta fireworks. Marie listened as the man atop her was ripped off of her, releasing her from his hold. His voiced protest was followed shortly by a pained outcry and a heavy thudding noise that she could only assume (and hope) came from his body hitting the pavement. Afterwards, there was only the faint sound of laboured breath.

Against her body's protests, Marie attempted to sit up only to fall back with a half-grunt of pain as quavers of pain erupted in her back. Any further attempts were foiled as a pair of new hands wrap around her shoulders and carefully eased her to a seated position. Marie jolted in panic and gave a feeble attempt at defending herself but was quickly hushed by a gentle voice. His hands continued to support her as he spoke in a tender tone of voice.

"_Shh…_ jus' take it easy. Y' in no condition t' exert y'self _mon chérie_. Jus' relax…"

Marie attempted to recognise the voice but her weary body and disorientated state of mind were working too hard against her. All she knew was that it was a familiar voice, a voice like melting honey that soothed her body and mind like no other ever had. His touch was no different. As she struggled to remain conscious, she felt those hands shift away for a moment. She missed his touch not half a minute before she felt him shift and something warm wrap around her trembling shoulders. The smell of spices and cigarettes engulfed her senses as she felt her body rise from the ground and become enveloped in his strong arms. Marie struggled to keep her eyes open just a little longer as she raised her head and attempted to catch a glimpse of her rescuer's face. She did not see a face but caught a vague glimpse of a pair of demonic scarlet orbs that glowed in the darkness. That warm, honey-coated voice spoke up one last time before she lost total consciousness.

"Don't y' worry _chérie. _Gambit will keep y' safe. _Je promets_." (I promise)

_****_

_**-grins- REVIEW PLEASE!**_

_**-Gams**_


	10. Second Impressions

_**SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT! **_

_**-Gams **_

_**Chapter 9 – Second Impressions **_

The day began with an onslaught of sunlight, swiftly followed by a headache most foul. Disorientated, Marie laid there blinking for a minute or two before her eyes finally adjusted to the morning light. With her gaze narrowed and a slight grimace across her face, she managed to pull herself to a seated position and from there let her gaze sweep over the unfamiliar surroundings. Starting as blurred shapes, it took a moment or two for her gaze to sharpen only to find herself encased in a grand master bedroom bathed in sunlight and warm white walls. Her narrowed gaze turned to a bemused frown. _"Where in the Sam Hill am ah?" _Unable to move for the moment, Marie took the time to study the room with growing suspicion. She definitely hadn't been captured as the word itself entitled a description of darkness, barred windows and other _cold hospitalities_; all of which this room did not instigate in the least. The paranoid Acolyte in her told her to be wary of the warm, welcoming surroundings but her gut-instincts ignored the tug of paranoia. The room was like something out of the 18th Century with all its elegant furnishings; the four-poster bed, the small sofa seat near the windows. However that only caused Marie's confusion and concerns to heighten.

"_What happened last naght? How the hell did ah get _here?_" _

Her circumstances didn't improve when she finally took note of what she was clothed in...There wasn't much to call clothing except a man's dress shirt and her underwear.

Even with her little experience with men, she knew waking up to find your memory obscured and your body clad in nothing but a man's shirt wasn't a good start to a hangover. With a slight edge of panic, Marie tried to recall _something_ about the night before but all she could recall were blurred shadows and a pair of red, glowing lights. The memory caused her to frown. _Lights?_ Marie rubbed her eyes, ridding them of sleep as she tried to shake off the pounding in her head. A frustrated sigh escaped her as she sat for a moment with her eyes closed and her hands spread across her temple. Finally, she decided she would worry about the night's escapades after she figured out _where_ she was and _who_ had brought her here.

Her headache practically blared in her ears but she managed to pull herself to her feet and out of the comfort of the tall bed. Smoothing the long white shirt over her bared legs, thankful for it being too big for her, she proceeded to look around in search of _her _clothes. Though not particularly surprised, she was still annoyed when she found that none of her clothes were present. _"Then who the hell undressed meh last night?" _With a tad more confusion and agitation added to her concoction of emotions, Marie made her way to the bedroom's double doors. The slender Art Nouveau-style handle turned and clicked as she carefully eased the door open and stuck her head out into what appeared to be a hallway.

An undeniable, awed look spread across her features.

"_Money ain't no object for whoever lives here."_

She deduced from the furnishings that she was definitely in some kind of Upper-class hotel in New Paris as_ Old Paris_ wasn't, or more, couldn't be endorsed with such luxurious living. The honey-dipped polished wooden floorboards ran down a long corridor adorned with lush looking furnishings here and there and several closed doors. Marie cautiously wandered down the corridor, her feet moving in soundless steps, until she came to a pair of open double-doors at the end. Beyond the doors, she found a grand looking living-room joined to an equally spacious kitchen.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. _Had she fallen into 18__th__ Century Paris or something?_

She figured her answer was _no_ when she took note of the modern kitchen appliances. She was certain they didn't have running water taps in the 18th Century.

Or waffle makers.

The lingering smell of fresh waffles was torturous as it was sweet but wasn't kept in mind for long. She had moved a few steps passed the living room threshold when a pleasant, masculine voice spoke up from behind her. The familiarity of the voice caused her eyes to widen.

"_Bon Matin ma chére."_ (Good Morning my dear)

A startled sound escaped her mouth as she turned on the spot only to find that the familiar voice had a familiar face. Smirking with obvious amusement, the young man proceeded to fold up his newspaper and rise from his place on the sofa seat nearest to her. Her brow furrowed in confusion while her eyes remained wide with startled surprise.

"_You-?!_"

The Cajun dared to broaden his smirk to a full blown smile; causing his eyes to narrow ever so slightly with the action of smiling and catch her attention. The one thing that caught her attention was the colour of his eyes; _brown_. For some reason, she was instantly bothered by the colour. They looked..._unnatural, _like they should have been a different colour. She didn't have long to ponder over the _why_ she thought that as she was suddenly hit with a jolt of recognition. She vaguely recalled her first near-encounter with the Apoc soldiers and the _charming_,_ egotistical Cajun_ that made it a _near-encounter_. Her eyes widened in alarm as another theory shook her thoughts.

She had woken up in a stranger's bed, dressed in nothing but a man's shirt and her underwear...

"Did y' sleep well?"

Marie gulped silently. _Oh god did she hope that was _all_ she had done._ She fell out of her thoughts upon realising that the Cajun charmer from the night before was standing before her with about two feet of space between them. Those brown, indistinctive eyes became rimmed with concern when she didn't answer straight away, or refrain from her bemused expression.

"Are y' alright _chére?"_

She managed to silently gulp a breath of air before answering in what she hoped _wasn't_ a shaky voice.

"What exactly... _happened_ last naght?"

It was his turn to be bemused; a concerned frown marred his handsome features.

"Y' don't remember?"

Marie swallowed silently. _"Oh gawd. Please don't tell meh ah-"_ She barely had the thought worded in her mind when his expression turned from bemused to a mix of alarm and, to her flushed cheek's shame, a tad of amusement. That unabashed and impossibly handsome smirk played across his lips even as he began to quickly assure her that _nothing of THAT sort had occurred._ Her cheeks burned darker shade of pink; she was certain of it as she anxiously crossed her arms and tried not to look too relieved.

"_Chére_, believe moi. If we _had_ done somet'ing- amnesic or not, y' would remember it. Gambit guarantee it."

While Marie was proud that she managed an indifferently raised brow and not another shade of pink, the snake of a charmer before her still had the gall to smirk at her expense. She wanted to hit him; _Hard _and preferably where that infuriating, charming smirk was placed. Instead, all she got was more pain to add to her already blaring head. She suddenly lost her hold on pride and reached a hand to her temple and groaned slightly in pain. Somehow, she figured this wasn't the normal kind of hangover she was used to. She was brought out of her mental grumblings when she felt a pair of warm, large hands rest on her shoulders and redirected her gaze to his. She noticed with a slight jolt of surprise that he was bending down to her height in hopes of trying to get a look at her face.

"_Chére_ y' bes' sit down _non?_ Y' took a nasty blow last night-_"_

Though his words brewed confusion and questions, she said nothing as he got her to sit down on the couch he had occupied beforehand. From what she saw of the rug and bed pillow beside her, it appeared he had occupied it all night. So they had _definitely_ not done anything she was bound to regret. However, considering how strong her headache was at the moment, she wasn't totally free of regrets. While she did her best to bury her head in her own hands, it wasn't long before she felt Gambit's warm fingertips wrap around her hands and gently pry them back. She caught his gaze as he replaced his fingertips on the sides of her forehead and began to draw soothing circles. Though gentle, he kept the pressure firm as he knelt before her with her locked in his gaze. Marie was amazed to find that not only did his ministrations help, she barely felt anything except the flush of her cheeks and the soothing feeling his fingertips invoked. Her headache was gone completely by the time he removed his hands. He continued to kneel in front of her as he spoke gently, the smooth charmer was still there but there was a kind of tenderness across his face that took centre stage for the moment.

"Feel better _chére_?"

Marie managed a feeble nod. As her emotions remained scrambled and warm with a strange sort of ease, she managed to speak gently. Her brow furrowed with confusion.

"How'd ya do that?"

The Cajun smirked and uttered a husky chuckle, the glint of charm returned to his eyes.

"It be an old medicine secret he was taught once, _mais_ y' should take some painkillers nonetheless. _Un instant s'il vous plait." _(Just a moment please)

And before she could assure that she was perfectly fine now, he left her side only to return from the kitchen with a glass of water and painkillers in hand. She took them as offered, and drained the glass dry before speaking again. Her brow remained knitted with confusion as she spoke up softly, her voice strained from disuse.

"Ah don't really remember what happened after...after the club."

His expression, which had been so full of a charm and warmth suddenly became sullen; full of grim knowledge she was obviously not privy to if her assumptions were correct.

"Y' really don't remember what happened last night _chére_?"

She shook her head.

"Everything's a bit fuzzy after we uh- _parted_."

Marie watched as Gambit's facial expression became more woeful as he sighed and ran a hand through his fringe to the back of his neck. He came to stand before her, shame practically wrote itself across his face as he avoided her gaze for a short while. When he did catch her gaze again, he offered a grim smile as he replied.

"Y' were cornered by a troop o' Apoc soldiers _chére_. Gambit is ashamed t' say he didn't get as well timed as he would've liked. Would've saved y' dat _monstrueux_ headache _et _a few bruises."

At her confused expression, he sat down beside her and continued, this time with his eyes set directly on hers as he spoke gravely.

"Dey had y' half-unconscious by de time Gambit caught up wit' y' _chére_. T'ough Gambit be relieved dat he got t' y' b'fore dey could _do _anyt'ing..._Je suis desole ma chére_. _J'aurais appris à vous tôt." (I am sorry my dear. I should have got to you sooner)_

In that moment she found it very hard to put this chivalrous, sincere man into the same context as the arrogant, smart-assed bastard she had deemed him the night before. His first impressions lay forgotten as she witnessed the genuine regret and shame kindled in those chocolate brown eyes. The way he spoke made it sound like it had been entirely _his_ fault and not the brigand that had the sick audaciousness to...

It all came rushing back to her; being circled by those soldiers, getting knocked out by that electrical surge and her almost-rape at the hands of that foul-mouthed soldier. She gulped silently as a sickened shudder coursed down her skin, the tainted breath and feel of the man who had nearly succeeded in _having his way with her_ was suddenly refreshed in her thoughts. She was beginning to feel nauseous when she suddenly felt that familiar warmth that came with the touch of Gambit's fingertips over her hand. She had not noticed her tight hold on the edge of the sofa seat until then. She gave a weak, grateful smile before clearing her throat before speaking. The nausea she had felt at the memory was washed out by the feeling of reassurance...that strangely came with his touch.

"How- how did ya fahnd meh?"

He looked away and withdrew his hand, breaking the trance of his touch as he replied quietly, reverting to first person.

"I heard y' scream."

Marie directed her gaze to the empty glass clamped between her fingers; her fingertips were white she was clutching the glass so tightly. It was a few silent moments before she replied softly, nervously tucking a strand of white behind her ear in habit as she did so.

"What happened after ya found meh? Did you-?"

Though it was obvious he was still quite ashamed of himself, he explained coolly that he more or less knocked their lights out (there was a glimmer of morbid amusement in his eyes at those words) and since he had no idea where she lived, brought her back here to his apartment. On his last note, Marie subconsciously tugged the hem of the large shirt she wore a little further down her half-exposed thighs. A fresh coat of pink coloured her cheeks as he caught her eye and smirked ever so slightly.

"Y' clothes were in a bad state when Gambit brought y' here,_ et_ Gambit would say he didn't look..."

She was prompted to arch a brow at him with an irritated look. His grin broadened as continued.

"_Mais _it be a little difficult t' dress a woman when she's unconscious."

Whether it was because he admitted this without so much as a hint of shame in his voice or the fact he eyed her half-exposed thighs with an artful eye, she wasn't sure, but it certainly made her want to hit him. Again. It was astounding to her how he could change his intentions so swiftly or maybe not his intentions but his emotions. One minute he was sensitive and almost gallant in his intentions, next he was the suave charmer trying to eye her up and what not else. But considering he'd been nothing but helpful and more or less pleasant (sans their first introduction) she decided to ease her balled fist and mutter _'Fair enough'_ as he continued to smirk like a snake that trapped the snake trapper. While she resisted the urge to blush harder (or punch that smirk off his face), the Cajun began a new subject with a light enthusiasm that sent her reeling yet again.

"Now seein' as y' can't really go out in jus' _mon_ shirt- as _trés belle_ as y' look in it, _et_ y' clothes won't be ready f' a _petite _while longer, y' should 'ave somet'ing t' eat. Gambit don't mean t' brag _mais_ he does make _trés bonne _waffles. Are y' hungry _chére? _It's almost noon so Gambit would not be surprised-"

He hardly gave her the chance to refuse let alone refuse politely as he ushered her towards the kitchen bench while he began to cook up a storm of waffles and coffee. When she offered the excuse that she didn't want to be more trouble, he gave her a winning smirk and insisted she needed some food in her belly to go along with those painkillers and that it simply wasn't any trouble at all. From the way he artfully broke egg shells without fault and whisked the waffle mixture he had made from scratch as he spoke, Marie was completely reassured that him cooking her breakfast wasn't any trouble in the least. It was obvious that he enjoyed it simply for the fun of it but there was no doubt in her mind that he had won the heart of many a woman over breakfast as well.

Marie frowned a moment. She hardly thought the name _'Gambit'_ fit when said woman exclaimed _'Oh my god, Gambit this is delicious!'_ when she tasted one of his culinary marvels.

"What would y' like on y' waffle _chére_?"

She broke from her thoughts only to find Gambit holding up a bowl of cream in one hand and a jar of maple syrup in the other. Marie offered a small smile and replied _'both,'_ all the while deciding that it would be better not to ask him about his name. Men of this day and age were known to wear many masks to protect themselves just as she was to use the name _Rogue _when out of the protective walls of Avalon. A man who saves _damsels in distress_ and cooks said damsel fresh hot waffles as an act of chivalry could be a man of many faces if not already so, and was he ever. She was still reeling from the fact that he could cook, and cook well for that matter. He must have read her thoughts or read her face for expressions, for his next question was.

"Y' look amused _chére._ Is dere somet'ing on Gambit's face?"

Marie shrugged as she leant her crossed arms over the bench top.

"Impressed more lahke. Ya pick up girls with '_bourbon-and-a-cosmo' _lines, ya chase Apoc soldiers down for things anyone else would turn a blind eye to _and_ ya cook? Ah can hardly imagine what ya actually do for a livin'."

To her surprise, Gambit unleashed a hearty laugh that for some reason aroused the same feeling his remedy-touch had not a half hour ago. His face came alive in laughter and she found it suited him just as well as a charming smirk or a prying eye. His laughter was warm and sincerely amused, and for some reason Marie couldn't tear her eyes or ears away from such a scene. It was bad enough he was handsome, his husky laugh was practically dipped in honey and cream. When his laughter subsided, but he continued to smile, he pushed her full plate in front of her and reached for a fork and knife. He sighed but it was wounded lightly by a slight wince that was teasing if not a mockery.

"Kind of hoped y' wouldn't remember de _bourbon_ _et cosmo_ t'ing. _Mais ma chérie _mus' be feeling better if she remembers dat far back into de night, _non_?"

Marie couldn't help but smile slightly as she took the knife and fork he offered. She replied with a hint of sarcasm in her good humour. She ignored the fact that he kept calling her _'dear'_ in favour of a good come-back.

"That happened t' beh a terrible- no, probably _the worst_ pick up line ah have ever heard."

He nodded lightly in agreement, or more, half-agreement.

"_Mais _it did get y' t' stop _et _talk t' _moi_ for a moment _non_?"

After a moment of surprise, she raised a sly brow as she stopped cutting into her waffle and looked up at him from her plate. A devious tone coated her words as she replied casually.

"Do ya mean before or _after_ ah dunked those margaritas on ya an' ya woman of the hour?"

That rich, masculine chuckle erupted from those perfect lips only to settle back into a perfect, matching grin as they fell into a comfortable silence. While he wiped up the mess of cooking utensils on the bench, she managed to take the first bite of her waffle only to pause suddenly and widen her eyes as the flavours were savoured in her mouth. She caught his broadened smirk as he leant against the bench and spoke.

"Gambit it take it from dem wide, _belle _eyes o' yours dat it tastes good, _non_?"

It was a little overly dramatic to think it, but honestly it was like tasting waffles for the first time and falling for their sugary ploy. She almost didn't want to swallow it was so heavenly on her tongue. Marie swallowed before she replied, licking a dash of cream off her bottom lip.

"That would beh an understatement."

His smile brightened. As she took another bite, he replied genuinely.

"Gambit is very pleased t' hear dat _chérie._ He'd be offended if y' said it was jus' _good._"

Marie's laugh was stifled by the waffle in her mouth. She managed to swallow before she spoke up again.

"So much for not meaning to brag. Now why do ya keep callin' meh that? Ah have a name ya know if ya'd care t' ask."

Gambit made a mockery of shock but it was deflated by the knowing glint in his unnaturally brown eyes.

"_Je suis desole ma chére_, what would y' name be?"

Marie tilted her head to one side ever so slightly to match the tilt of his own as he leant forward in dare. After a moment's hold, she replied simply.

"Rogue."

He extended a polite hand for hers and she, expecting him to shake it, allowed her right hand to become enveloped by his. To her surprise, he no sooner took it then raised it to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss over her exposed knuckles, all the while with her gaze locked by his. A shiver ran through her at his touch but she did not turn away or pull out of his hold. When he withdrew his lips, he continued to hold her hand as he spoke.

"It's a pleasure t' meet y' _chére_."

She returned to the land of the living with the roll of her own eyes. But as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu hit her.

"Do ya call all girls that or am ah jus' lucky?"

He revealed nothing behind that charming smile.

"_Non._ Jus' y'."

She raised a sceptical brow.

"Do ya tell all girls that _too?"_

For the first time, his brow furrowed with bemusement.

"Do y' always react dis way t' compliments _chére_?"

Marie closed her eyes a moment and shook her head, more to shake the cynicism from her thoughts. When she opened her eyes, she found him looking rather bemused still but with a tell-tale grin across his face that told her he was more amused than anything. She gave a small sigh of defeat and rest a hand under her chin as she spoke.

"Look, ah'm sorry- ah'm just...not used t' compliments t' beh honest."

It was more or less true in the context of _her_ and any man who had any interest in her. She would hardly give them the light of day let alone accept a compliment when given but for some reason, with this obvious womanizer no less, she was sincerely sorry for being so outwardly cynical to compliments. She rationalized it was because she was already indebted to him for saving her.

"_What else could it possibly beh because?"_

She was brought out of her thoughts when Remy gave a small snort of amused disbelief and muttered more to himself than her.

"_Je suis surpris que vous battez pas les hommes éloignés avec un baton."_ (I'm surprised you're not beating men away with a stick)

Marie blushed for possibly the millionth time that _hour_ but this time, she actually felt flattered rather than embarrassed. Still, the cynic in her could not surpass the chance to deflate a compliment. She gave a genuinely amused chuckle as she licked the last of the syrup on her fingers off her index. Knowing what such a gesture could entice from a man, she wasn't surprised by the slight falter of his smile as he watched her.

"Ya certainly favour a lot of cheesy pick-up lines."

A look of slight surprised appeared across his face before he replied in a gentle, husky tone that sent new tremors down her spine.

"_Vous êtes une femme très intrigante _Rogue_." _(You are a very intriguing woman Rogue)

It was Marie's turn to smile as she finished the last of her waffle and pushed it forward for him to take. They shared a smile for a moment before Gambit turned towards the sink across the kitchen and dumped their used plates. He asked if she wanted a drink, and teasingly stated that he did not have the ingredients for margaritas so not to get any _big ideas_. Marie could not help but laugh. 

****

_**Again, I am so sorry for the extremely long wait. But if anyone's read my profile recently, I've been on a little writer's vacation to refresh and start a new year with better writing. **_

_**More updates to come! REVIEW!**_

_**-Gams **_


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